


Stranded on Gallifrey

by Charms7116



Series: Further Adventures [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who - Various Authors, Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Before the Time Wars, Gallifrey, Gen, OC Time Lord, Original Character(s), Science Fiction, Stranded, Time Lords
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:22:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 59,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26282611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charms7116/pseuds/Charms7116
Summary: When Teenage ,Half Time Lord, Quinawah Firesong (Merlyn) tumbles through the Time Vortex and ends up on Gallifrey some centuries before the Time Wars,  and taken under the care of  Lord Rudan ( a Time Lord) and Doctor Asgrad ( almost a Time Lord and a medical Doctor ) They really have no idea what to make of this young alien from another Time and dimension, who knows more than he should, even though his knowledge isn't entirely accurate...? or is it?  so, he presents a bit of a conundrum and an intriguing Mystery for his two Gallifreyan Guardians.My knowledge of Gallifrey comes from various sources including the Role-Playing Game. And I am behind in a lot of stuff, So, a lot of it might be off some
Series: Further Adventures [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1900771
Kudos: 1





	1. GALLIFREY-Some Centuries BEFORE the Last Great Time War!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Be back soon with the next chapter of this have been kind of busy in real life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for slow uploading have a bit of a family emergency at the moment

“He’s one of us!” Merlyn groggily heard as he started to come out of unconsciousness, trying to remember what had happened to make him unconscious in the _first_ place!  
  
“How? We at least _look_ **_human_**! He doesn’t even **_look_** that!” said another voice, _strange_ they all had slightly English or European sounding accents.  
  
“Humanoid enough it seems,” said the first voice “I don’t recognise the species he resembles, but despite all that, his bio-scan claims he is one of us. For all, we know he might even be from the **_future_**! That is worrying but possible.”  
  
“What could _make_ us go through such a change?”  
  
“It’s not that different really, definitely nearer to human than it is alien. It’s cosmetic though apart from the wings and the tail, which doesn’t seem to be any real reason he even _has_ a tail though! Save as a third arm or something. No doubt those wings are  
functional, even if he is alien, they were obviously near enough to us, to breed with one of us though and produce offspring. He is one of us though”.  
  
“How _old_ would you say he was?”  
  
“I’ve run a scan on him, it suggested late adolescence, he’s not even an adult yet! I’d say about 18 or 19. I’m inclined to believe that for some unknown reason that he is a half-breed or something, not even from this **_universe_**! Considering the way, he arrived! "How **did** he get here?”  
  
  
“He materialised out of the air and fell from the sky it was those wings that saved him, considering he was unconscious at the time".  
  
"My guess is that he _somehow_ tumbled through the Time Vortex, scans, and injuries also back that theory, but as to how he even _survived_ is a mystery! Even _we_ have trouble doing that unprotected, which ** _also_** suggests my theory is that he is an alien hybrid  
of some sort, possibly a polymorphic race of considerable power from another universe or dimension, maybe even another time, it’s _amazing_ he even **_survived_**!”  
  
“Was he hurt?”  
  
“Only from the fall and some energy burns on his hands and lower arms which are healing at the same rate we do. He has a concussion, but he had _switched_ himself off like any of us _would_ do in that situation. He is one of us though, through and through, if you catch my meaning. He's got it, not to mention considerably strong and well developed Psionic abilities that are well developed, he clearly had some training and are fully functioning, he is very well shielded from what I can ascertain. Quite frankly what  
we have here is in effect, a _potential_ Time Lord with strong and clearly well-trained Psionic abilities. He probably doesn’t even realise what he is fully capable of, especially if he is from another Universe!”  
  
The patient moaned, groaned, and then said “I’m **_awake_** , you know! I can **_hear_** _everything_ your saying! And I can explain I _think_ ” this was spoken near flawlessly in their native tongue with a slight alien accent “it just hurts to open my eyes! Their all blurred!”  
  
The two speakers were taken by surprise, they had thought him unconscious or at least asleep, and the Medical officer who’d been examining him said: “take it easy, you're amongst friends, but I am not surprised your visions blurred with _t hat_ concussion!”  
  
The patient's eyelids fluttered, and a pair of startling, quicksilver blue, large, slightly slanted eyes opened and looked dazedly around and then at the two speakers.  
  
“You’re _Time Lords_!” the boy said “ _Mm_ that **_explains_** it then! Ow! My head! Where am I?” he went to sit up, but couldn’t he hurt too much “I ache all over!”  
  
“Easy now,” said the Medical officer “you’re had quite a fall! It’s a wonder you even _survived_!”  
  
“Where **_am_** I?” Merlyn asked he looked at the two men and asked, “your one of the Council, aren’t you?” this was said to the medico’s companion.  
  
“How did you know?” he asked.  
  
“I recognise the robes” Merlyn replied, “am I on a Time Lord’s ship, during the Time Wars or something?”  
  
“ _Time Wars_?” the Medical officer's companion asked.  
  
“Easy now,” said the Medic throwing a frown at his companion “as to where you are, _Quinawah_? Isn’t it? You’re on _Gallifrey_ ”.  
  
“ **Gallifrey**! ** _How_** the blazes did I end up **_here_**!” Merlyn exclaimed, “Unless that was where.... which is possible”.  
  
“We _were_ kind of hoping **_you_** could answer that for us Quinawah,” said the Lord.  
  
Merlyn looked thoughtful as he tried to remember, his mind was a little foggy “I must have fallen through the Time Conduit or something, I remember helping Tina and Sal repair the engines on the **_INTREPID_** there was this bright flash I must have blacked  
out or something”.  
  
“You _shut_ yourself off,” said the medic “perfectly normal reaction to a situation like that, but how you survived the Vortex unprotected is beyond me!”  
  
“ _Dorenganza Adaptability_ no doubt! We can survive just about _everything_ because of that” Merlyn replied.  
  
“Dorenganza?”  
  
“My race, well at least half,” Merlyn said, “you noticed that huh? But Gallifrey **!** Geez! _Ooh_ , Rast is going to be green!”  
  
“Rast?”  
  
“My twin brother, Rastalin, yeah there are _two_ of us, _three_ if you count our sister Crystal”.  
  
“Crystal?”  
  
“Our younger sister” Merlyn replied.  
  
“ _There’s_ three of you!” the Lord gasped.  
  
“ _What_? Time Lords don’t have _kids_? Our mother was the Dorenganza though, Dad was the Time Lord. Yet, as Tina says a deadly combination” Merlyn said with a grin.  
  
“ _Tina_?”  
  
Even dazed as he was, Merlyn suddenly remembered that Tina didn’t really want her people to know where she was.  
  
As for the Doctor... no, he wasn’t going to betray them, especially seeing this was probably _**before**_ whatever had happened and considering that Tina had been saying she had a feeling that something had happened to Gallifrey.  
  
He was still fuzzy on such things, but he knew enough not to place Tina, Sal, the Doctor and even Professor Xavier at risk, even though he didn’t know Xavier’s full story yet either, but, he suspected it was similar to Tina’s, Sals and the Doctors.  
  
“Lieutenant-Commander Tina, our friend, she’s a Science Officer I was helping her fix the Temporal engine on the **_INTREPID_** when it opened up, and I must have tumbled inside, into the Time Vortex or something, something’s wrong with it, it has been,  
places, it never should have gone.”  
  
“You’re a Temporal Engineer?” The Lord asked.  
  
Merlyn said “No I’m a Senior Jedaini Apprentice and an Ensign on the **_XANADU_** , but I have this wacky psychic connection of sorts to computers. I can interact with them quasi-telepathically; they call it _Tele-cyber_. To put it in easier terms, I’m a Natural  
Interfacer, and I have a knack for Science and Temporal Mechanics. It’s one of the rarer Psionic talents. I have it in abundance, Tina often gets my help when she works on engines, my interfacing talent comes in handy, speaking of which have any of you got  
my Sword? I feel lost without it”.  
  
“You’re _what_?”  
  
“When you found me I would have been carrying an object, about this long” Merlyn said making an indication with his hands, “that’s if I didn’t lose it tumbling through the Vortex, which would be annoying seeing I’d have to make another one and retune it”.  
  
“Oh you mean **this**?” said the medico reaching into a cabinet and handing Merlyn his Lightsword “you were hanging onto it for dear life when we found you, we had to pry it out of your grip, the rest of your stuff was on you as well, I wasn’t _sure_ _what_ that  
was”.  
  
Merlyn took it from him and looked it over “thanks” he said.  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“It’s my lightsabre” he replied “an energy blade it’s the mark of my Order. I want to make sure it wasn’t damaged when I took the tumble”.  
  
He looked through the rest of his bag pulling them out as he did so, they included what looked like a handmade sonic screwdriver, a small multi-purpose Knife, what looked like a small blaster, a small computer or tablet of some sort and a few other objects, including a reader of some kind opened to a book by someone called _Stephen King_ and handed the medico an item.  
  
“That’s my Id card,” Merlyn said.  
  
The Medic looked it over the card stated that the lad's name was Quinawah Firesong, age 18 (equivalent), height 5.8, his weight, gender, PSI rating was Prime, parents ‘ _Unknown_ ’, Blood Type ‘ _Unknown_ ’, Guardian ‘ _Casamir Ongaldan_ _’_ and all sorts of other details, his race was listed as ‘ _Dorenganza_ ’ and in brackets ‘ _Xanaduen_ ’.  
  
“Dorenganza?” he asked again.  
  
“That’s my race” Merlyn replied, “we’re Shapeshifters”.  
  
“ _Shapeshifters_?”  
  
“Yes, nothing sinister about it, I just prefer Gorta-Trellian form that’s all, we kind of chose what form we feel most comfortable in and stick with it, it becomes ‘ _ours_ ’, we kind of look like Silver elementals unshifted. Most of us are born with a set form though, it’s easier to conceive and have children that way, and it takes two like most organic races, a male, and a female. My guess is that our mother was a Dorenganza and our father, the Time Lord. Mum was a companion to _said_ Time Lord, and they fell in love. Like me, she looked Gorta-Trellian, so naturally, we adopted her form while in the womb”.  
  
“Oh,” said the Councillor “ you do have Gallifreyan blood though you are one of us Quinawah, and no it is not impossible to have mixed parts, you have what is known as the _Rassillon Imprimatur_ and have somehow survived, it’s rare yes, and we don’t like to  
talk about it, but it is not unknown, it generally depends on the environment you’re in, can you shapeshift?”  
  
“Yes, but I don’t do it very often and not quite as accomplished at it as other Dorenganza and I actually prefer to be called _Merlyn_ ”.  
  
“ _Merlyn_?”  
  
“Yes, you know, _Merlyn_. _**Merlin the Magician**_? Arthurian wizard? It started out as a nickname as I am good at fixing things, but I prefer it over Quinawah _only_ Master Casamir calls me _Quinawah_ ”.  
  
“Old Earth Literature, you know that planet in Sol. _King Arthur_ , _Merlin the Magician_ ” the Medic shrugged “I am rather fond of it”.  
  
“Oh”.  
  
“I spell it **_M-E-R-L-Y-N_** though,” he said, “ _everyone_ calls me Merlyn”.  
  
“OK, Merlyn,” said the Medico “my name is Dr Asgrad, and this is Chancellor Rudan of the Time Lords”.  
  
“You’re Prydonian, aren’t you?” Merlyn asked the Chancellor then.  
  
“What makes you say that?” he replied, going on guard.  
  
“I recognise the colours” he then rattled off the colleges flawlessly checking them off on his fingers, they noted he only had eight, his hands been four-fingered well rather, three fingers and a thumb on each hand “was I correct?”  
  
“You’re...correct,” he said then quickly ushered Asgrad out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * Lord Rudan demands to know who he is  
> * Asgrad takes Merlyn home with him to keep him safe  
> **Note Asgrad is fond of Earth Literature**

Once out Ruden said “I want to know **who** he is! And how _much_ he **knows**!”  
  
Asgrad said “Rudan relax! I _hardly_ think a 95-year-old half-blood Gallifreyan is a security risk!”  
  
“How comes he _knows_ the Colleges then? I want to know who he is and why he knows more than he _should_!”  
  
“You think he’s a _spy_?”  
  
“I don’t know _what_ he is! Find out!” he said, “and while you're at it, find out if he has met any other _Time Lords_!!”  
  
“You don’t think that he’s met **_HIM_ ,** do you?”  
  
“Knowing _his_ tendency to wander and in the company of other races, I wouldn’t put it past _**HIM**_!”

“You don’t think that Merlyn’s _HIS_....” he trailed off; the thought itself was fascinating, a little disturbing and worrying all at the same time.  
  
“Unlikely but not impossible, knowing _HIS_ tendency to wander around accompanied by humans or near humans. But I wouldn’t put it past _HIM_ for them to cross paths. Find out if he has met any other Time Lords, especially **_THAT_ _T_** _ime Lord_!”  
  
“He’s wounded, and a little confused; let me find out what you need to know. He’s only 18- or 19-years old equivalent! And even by the standards of our people, he’s a child! He _trusts_ me. I won’t have the Council _interrogating_ a **_child_**! He knows little more  
than what he has already told us. I’ll talk to him. Just _talking_ to him will get him to open more than interrogation will. He is not some dangerous criminal or threat to the security of our people or world, not as far as we know and chances are, he isn’t a spy   
either. But he **_may_** be from the future. I think he is all that he appears. The fact that he knows the colleges, and can speak our language **_is_** a little _surprising_ admittingly, but, _He is_ half Gallifreyan, maybe his Time Lord parent told him, or maybe it’s a built-in  
memory or something or both. We don’t _know_ about the alien side of his blood, or who they are, the Dorenganza, maybe, they have an ancestral memory or something or some form of Telepathy we have never seen! We don’t **_know_** anything about him apart   
from the fact that he has Gallifreyan blood. He is Psionic, an adolescent and arrived under extraordinary circumstances. He may have just picked up the names from us, he _is_ trained in Telepathy”.   
  
“I never thought of that” Rudan admitted.   
  
“You automatically jumped to conclusions that he was some sort of spy old friend; you have gotten paranoid as have we all”.   
  
“Here’s what we’ll do, you find out what you can from the lad, I’ll look into a way to get him back, he _can’t_ stay here! Even if we must recall, **you know who**?”  
  
“He might be the only one who can get him back” Asgrad agreed.

“You talk to Quinawah and find out what he knows”.   
  
“Very well,” he said.

He found Quinawah floating things around with his mind and smiling, he was playing!   
  
Asgrad watched in silence for a while at this blatant use of practised Telekinesis, the lad handled it like a professional, clearly well used to using them.  
  
“Careful you don’t drop anything” Asgrad cautioned.   
  
“I won’t,” said Merlyn putting the stuff down “sorry I got a little bored”.   
  
“What else can you do?” he asked.   
  
“Just about everything to varying degrees, my Tele & Teke powers are my strongest though, my link with computers is linked to my Telepathy” Merlyn replied, “Casamir says it is both sides of my blood”.  
  
“So, you’re alway _s_ known?” he asked.  
  
Merlyn said, “not _always_ , I always knew I was different though it is just recently I realised **how different** when I reached puberty”.   
  
“You seem well into adolescence though”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I’m almost 19 by the standards of my people, yeah I knew for a while”.  
  
“So, you are in late adolescence by the standards of your people?”  
  
“Late teens” he replied, “no I haven’t, well you know if that is what you're trying to get at, think I ‘m too young”.   
  
“No, you’re not, but only just,” he said, knowing what he meant, “how long have you known?”  
  
“Long enough” he replied, “Cas tried to hide it, but we found out by ourselves, we generally don’t tell others though”.  
  
“Merlyn you’re a potential Time Lord with Psychic abilities, well-developed ones at that too, just how _much_ do you know?”  
  
“Enough” Merlyn said “bet I could fly a **TARDIS**! I know enough to protect myself and to stay alive, enough to know I should keep a low profile about it”.  
  
“Oh,” said Asgrad.   
  
“This is _really_ Gallifrey?” he asked, eagerly looking out of the window.   
  
“Yes,” he said, “you are in the Great Citadel one of our cities, not much to see really outside the Citadel, but most of us never actually leave the Citadel”.   
  
“ _Wow_!” Merlyn said looking out of the window “I just **bet** the High Council wants to know _who_ I am!”  
  
“Rudan is a little worried” he admitted.  
  
“He thinks I’m a spy, right?”  
  
“Well you _did_ fall through the roof of the Council Chambers out of nowhere while they were meeting with the President and High Chancellor Xanian, and you know the colleges, you knew we were Time Lords, and you knew about Gallifrey, not to mention your **_half_** Gallifreyan”.  
  
“Bet that stirred them up a bit,” he said.  
  
“Well yes it did,” he said.   
  
“Dr Asgrad I’m not a spy and what knowledge I have is sketchy at best and somewhat exaggerated and totally different to what it’s actually like,” he said suddenly serious “I am from a parallel universe. I don’t think I am going to cause a problem, though,  
because I am planar. You are probably right to try and get me back home though”.   
  
“Merlyn we are working on that,” he said, “how did _you_ get here?”  
  
Merlyn turned around, and Asgrad said “you've _changed_! As Merlyn now looked more Gallifreyan rather than alien.  
  
“Told you I was a _shapeshifter_ ,” he said, “I figure I am going to be stuck here for a bit, so it is better if I blended in, do I look more Gallifreyan now?”  
  
“Yes, you do,” he said, “aside from the antennae”.  
  
Merlyn chuckled and retracted his small silvery antennae, which all Dorenganza had “oops! Better?” he asked.  
  
“Yes, much” Asgrad said, “but _doesn’t_ that feel strange?”  
  
Merlyn said, “Shapeshifting is our very being, there is nothing sinister about it, it is just who we are, I may be half your race, but I am also still Dorenganza”.  
  
He nodded “ _hmm_ yeah”.  
  
Merlyn continued “I am flawed though somewhat. I have never managed to achieve the elemental type being of a true Dorenganza. I can turn myself into a beam of light but, if I shapeshift to much it starts to get uncomfortable. I can take any humanoid form and some animal. I can turn myself into a small whirlwind though. Even a small Crasolian Dragon, but I cannot achieve the form of a pure Dorenganza or have the freedom to take any shape, nor can Rast our bodies seem to prefer humanoid form, I think that is my alien blood though, it doesn’t like me shape changing too much. I start to get nauseous and dizzy If I do it too much it is one of the reasons why I don’t” he signed “I think that my Gallifreyan half has limited my shapeshifting abilities”.  
  
“Oh,” said Asgrad.  
  
“The other kids used to make fun of us because of that, they’d be changing into all sorts of things, and we could never do it, even taking animal shape we can’t do it indefinitely our bodies don’t like it, I’m limited to human and some animal, can’t take insect shape either”.  
  
“ _MM_ ,” he said, “you seem well enough”.   
  
“You don’t think I’m a spy, do you?”  
  
“Merlyn, I _know_ your no spy,” he said.   
  
“How can you tell?”  
  
Asgrad replied, “come on I’ll show you some of the Capitol, you seem fit enough, and I have a spare room in my house you can stay in, it’ll be safer and more comfortable there”.  
  
“ _Really_!” he seemed genuinely delighted as he looked out of the window “ **Gallifrey**!”  
  
Asgrad had to smile caught up in the lad's enthusiasm “that is how I know your no spy” he said “that enthusiasm is just too genuine to be _anything_ but **_genuine_**! And you were using your powers before; you were using them for the sheer joy of it and weren’t  
afraid to be caught doing so, a spy wouldn’t have done that, you’re as much spy as I am _human_! Come on I’ll get you a satisfying meal, you’re probably hungry!”  
  
Merlyn looked at him “you’re pretty cool for a Time Lord”.  
  
Asgrad chuckled “I’m not a Time Lord, not really, I failed my final exam, I’m just a regular Gallifreyan, no, I’m just a Medical Officer lad, Rudans a **_Time Lord_** , not I. I’m surrounded by pain and sickness often, so it is good to laugh and develop a sense of   
humour and to be in the company of one who appreciates humour”.   
  
“I thought _everyone_ on Gallifrey was Time Lords!” Merlyn said.  
  
Asgrad said, “so does the rest of the **_Galaxy_** lad, it seems, we all have the potential to _be_ , seeing we are the people of this world, and we all have the potential to be, but no I’m just a medical Doctor lad, you're the Time Lord here not I”.  
  
“I’m only _half_ ,” Merlyn said.   
  
“According to us, your one of us, very young yes, but still one of us, someone as young as you are should still be at the academy”.  
  
“I know,” he said.   
  
“You hungry?” he asked.  
  
“Yep,” said Merlyn.   
  
“Good,” he said, “let me delight you in Gallifreyan delicacies then, my culinary skills are quite good actually, come along Merlyn”.

He led Merlyn from the hospital “you’ll be safer and more comfortable at my place”.  
  
“Why would they think I’m a threat?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Gallifreyans can be paranoid,” he said “you're an unknown element, an unregistered Gallifreyan, I know you’re not a security threat though, you're just lost, but the others mightn’t agree. Rudan said he’ll get diplomatic immunity for you and told me I was  
responsible for you”.   
  
“In my world, I already have diplomatic immunity of the highest degree seeing I’m a senior Jedaini Apprentice. But this _isn’t_ my world” Merlyn said.   
  
“True,” Asgrad said, “follow”.  
  
Merlyn eagerly did so, looking around awed at his surroundings with a childlike and very refreshing enthusiasm that Asgrad found appealing **(** Gallifreyans were a generally sober lot, even children once they got past a certain age **)** , he was infectious and very unlike a Time Lord.  
  
“ _Gallifrey_!” Merlyn said, pulling out a device and holding it to his eyes.   
  
“What is that?” he asked.   
  
“A digital camera” he replied “do you mind if I take a few pictures? Once I leave, I probably will never be here again”.   
  
“OK,” said Asgrad “just be quick though”.   
  
“I will,” said Merlyn happily snapping away.  
  
Asgrad said, “my house is this way”.  
  
“The architecture is _amazing_! I’ve seen pictures and that but to actually see it!” Merlyn said snapping a candid shot of Asgrad and then put it away “you can feel the age!”  
  
“Well, yes,” he said.   
  
“ **Y** ou live alone?” Merlyn asked when they got to Asgrad’s house.   
  
“Yes,” he said, “apart from my cat”.  
  
“You _have_ a cat?” Merlyn asked.   
  
“Yes, Rudan bought her back on one of his research trips, I think she somehow got on his ship” he said, opening the door and letting Merlyn in “you should be safe here”.  
  
OK” said Merlyn looking around and then smiling at the black and white cat asleep on the lounge.   
  
“ _Omega_ I call her,” he said.  
  
Merlyn said, “she’s pretty”.   
  
“She’s my friend,” he said “tea?”  
  
“OK,” said Merlyn checking out the bookcase “fond of Earth Literature, are you?”  
  
“Yes” he replied, “never been there though, or unlikely to, I’m not a Time Lord”.  
  
“I always thought everyone here was”.   
  
“Where did you get that idea?” he asked “as I said we all have the potential to be just by been Gallifreyan but not all of us are _Time Lords_! I’m just a regular Gallifreyan, now, they call us _Plebeians_ ”.  
  


“Like I said my Knowledge is sketchy,” Merlyn said.   
  
“Clearly,” he said, “it’s amazing you have _any_ at all actually, **_you’re_** the _Time Lord_ here Kid not I”.   
  
“I’m only half,” Merlyn said.   
  
“A little more than half I’d say,” he said, “you show up as one, your bio-data despite some differences are close enough for one, for the machines” he shrugged “your young and haven’t come into your powers yet, that will come with maturity, but your   
definitely a Time Lord”.  
  
“How do I register?”.   
  
“As an adolescent,” he replied “an adolescent Gallifreyan mainly, I _thought_ you were at first” he poured the tea and bade that Merlyn sit down.   
  
“So, tell me, truthfully how did you end up here?” he asked.  
  
Merlyn took a sip of the tea and replied: “well it all started while working on the **_Intrepid_** ”.


	3. Gallifrey- The Capitol- Next Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * Lord Rudan tests and questions Quinawah further as he finds the young alien fascinating.
> 
> * Asgrad is Lord Rudans best friend, so Ruden has acquired some of Asgrads expressions and speech patterns, (due to Asgrads fondness for reading Earth literature) but he only really uses them in private when there is no one else around apart from him and Asgrad, and people rarely see the side of Rudan that he's showing here.

The next day, after having a good sleep, and well on the mend by now, Merlyn was following Asgrad through the plaza in the Capitol towards what Asgrad had called the Panopticon near where he was going to meet Rudan.  
  
“So not everyone on Gallifrey is a Time Lord?” Merlyn asked again still trying to get used to that idea!  
  
“No. Not everyone” he replied, “get that idea out of your head, you _however_ are”.  
  
“Are you sure?” Merlyn asked.  
  
Asgrad chuckled “lad you have all the classic characteristics of one, you haven’t come fully into your power yet, but you’re a young Time Lord. Quite frankly I don’t think you **need** any more power though, you got quite _enough_ as it is, but no doubt you’ll  
develop them, I’ve seen what you can do though”.  
  
“I guess”.  
  
“Your free Merlyn, **_stay_** that way, our lives, _especially_ if you’re a Time Lord, are somewhat regimented, it would ruin you, you're a _child of Time_ , but you haven’t been bought up here, you are free, remain that way”.  
  
“I noticed,” Merlyn said.  
  
“This isn’t your universe, “he said, “you belong in your own”.  
  
Merlyn looked around him; the sheer scope of the city awed him, although Asgrad had warned him not to look too awed, he could feel the age of the place.  
  
Asgrad had taken him shopping the day before and gotten him Gallifreyan style clothing, which Merlyn was wearing, so he wouldn’t stand out so much, and with his adopted human appearance, he didn’t look so alien either in the clothes, Asgrad said he  
looked like a Gallifreyan.  
  
They walked across the plaza and almost ran down a woman crossing the path who looked familiar.  
  
“Lady _Romana,_ I’m so sorry!” apologised Asgrad “I should have watched where I was going!”  
  
The lady stopped and looked at Asgrad as if about to say something.  
  
Then Merlyn looked up and met her eyes, something passed between them, and Merlyn recognised her for who she was.  
  
She recognised him for a Time Lord, albeit a young one.  
  
“ _Romana_?” Merlyn said quietly.  
  
“The **_Lady Romana_** ” Asgrad corrected “you must forgive my nephew Lady Romana; he is somewhat overwhelmed”.  
  
“ _Nephew_?” she asked.  
  
“My sister oldest son!” he said, “may I introduce Quinawah, Quinawah this is the Lady Romana one of the highest-ranking Ladies on the Council”.  
  
Merlyn bowed with all his manners, Casamir had banged that into him “at your service my Lady” he said.  
  
Romana took his offered hand, made him meet her gaze again, his eyes were like stars and said softly “ _you’re a potential_ _Time Lord_!”  
  
“Um well he attends the Academy, Arcalian of course, as is the tradition of our family,” Asgrad said.  
  
Romana smiled and shook her head “I have never met _any_ of your family who _was_ at the Academy”.  
  
Asgrad shrugged “well you know how it is”.  
  
Merlyn said with a chuckle “without Uncle Asgrad here, I’d be _helplessly lost_!”  
  
“Yes,” said Romana “welcome”.  
  
When she was gone Asgrad had a slightly lovelorn look on his face “ _arrh_ Lady Romana” he said.  
  
“Bit out of your league huh?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Way out,” he said, “Come, let’s get some food”.  
  
Quinawah nodded and followed him. A few minutes later they went up together, Merlyn eating what passed for an _ice-cream_ on Gallifrey.  
  
“You’re got an appetite on you Merlyn,” he said with a chuckle.  
  
“I’m a _teenager_! With two _hearts_!” Merlyn said, “what _else_ do you expect?”  
  
“I admit I haven’t spent a lot of time around adolescents, most your age are attending the academy,” he said as Merlyn started to float a bowl around.  
  
“Don’t let too many people see you do that” he warned, “powers like yours stand out here!”  
  
“Sorry,” Merlyn said, lowering the bowl.  
  
“What else can you do, though? What’s the extent of the weight you can lift?”  
  


“I’m not sure, I never tried to take it to the max,” Merlyn said, “and my powers are still developing somewhat, I am only Nineteen”.  
  
“They probably are,” he said, “come I’ll show you the Panopticon”.  
  
“ _Really_?”  
  
“Rudan works near there, of course, he can get us into his building, he’s a _Chancello_ ** _r_** remember?” Asgrad said, “besides kid, you’re Gallifreyan _,_ you have every right to be here!”  
  
“I don’t want to get you in trouble,” Merlyn said.  
  
“You won’t, I’m a Doctor, I can pretty much go anywhere, and besides Rudan is my friend, but we’ll stick to the story of you been my nephew, come on”.  
  
They entered the imposing front foyer of a building near it, Merlyn looked wide-eyed at the Panopticon, **_that was it_**!  
  
One of the most **_famous_** buildings on Gallifrey, where the Time Lords gathered, where Tina’s mum served as one of them, people wandered around on their daily business in the building they were in( which _wasn’t_ it! much to Merlyn’s disappointment), Time  
Lord and regular Gallifreyan alike, (the Time Lords were evident by their more obvious presence and their clothes).  
  
Merlyn felt vaguely disappointed, it in many ways _looked like_ any other government building on a typical workday throughout the universe! no one seemed to notice Asgrad and a teenage boy.  
  
However, Merlyn mused that might be his doing, Dorenganza could make themselves ‘i _nvisible_ ’ so to speak in plain sight, it was how they had managed to live and survive so long without been noticed, and it was probably extending to Asgrad as well.  
  
“Asgrad! What are you doing here?” said a familiar voice as Rudan came over “and _bringing_ the boy with you?”  
  
Asgrad said “I wanted to show him the hub of Gallifreyan society; he has a right to _know_ after all! Rudan, the lad, is Gallifreyan! We both **know** that! He has as much right to be here as **you** do!”  
  
“But no one else does!” Rudan exclaimed, “didn’t we agree that it was too dangerous for anyone else to _know_ about him?”  
  
Asgrad said “he won’t show up on the scanners, he shows up as a Gallifreyan like the rest of us. It wouldn’t recognise him for an alien, not _right_ away! He’s safe”.  
  
“Well OK,” said Rudan “look I’ll get you both passes and say your here to see me, so no one will question your presence”.  
  
“I’m passing Quinawah off as my nephew, and Quinawah is playing to the occasion,” he said.  
  
“You _don’t_ **_have_** a nephew!” Rudan said, “I **have** a nephew, not you!”  
  
“ **They** don’t know that, although I **_do_** have a sister, who does live outside the Citadel,” he said, “unlike _you_ , I am _not_ a Time Lord!”.  
  
“ _Quite_ , which is why we get on so well!” Rudan said “but the _lad_ is!” as he ushered them to his personal office.  
  
Merlyn looked around the office taking everything in with usual Jedaini observation skills and then indicated a sculpture that Rudan had on the back shelf “that’s Minyan isn’t it?” he asked.  
  
Rudan, who was looking at something, nodded and said “yes”.  
  
“They saw you as Gods, didn’t they? Unfortunately, it wiped them out,” Merlyn said, remembering something Tina had told him and Rastalin once.  
  
Rudan looked at him “how _could_ you possibly know that!” even Asgrad looked impressed.  
  
Merlyn shrugged “I read it somewhere” it had been Tina who told him actually when they had been discussing a similar event involving the Dorenganza, but, he wasn’t going to mention Tina, well not her status as a Time Lady at least.  
  
“You know some of our histories?” Rudan asked awed.  
  
“Some, your _legends_ where I come from, in my universe, but like I said my knowledge is sketchy,” Merlyn said.  
  
“Could be ancestral memory as well” Asgrad mused “due to your Gallifreyan blood”.  
  
“Possible I guess,” Merlyn said, “Dorenganza exist on the basis we’re planar, many folks used to believe we were dreams made real and possibly some of us are, we’re the most powerful race in my universe yet none would believe it of us”.  
  
Rudan nodded and decided to test a theory of his and Merlyn’s knowledge, just to see how much he _did_ know, so he ran through a basic set of general knowledge questions that most Gallifreyans, Merlyn’s age and education would know.  
  
Merlyn’s answers surprised him, he answered most of the questions correctly or _near_ correctly.  
  
He wasn’t clear on dates, names or actual events or he named a variation of them, some of his answers were exaggerated or not entirely correct.  
  
Rudan, impressed gave him a basic temporal maths test, most students at the Academy would know.  
  
Merlyn it appeared had an excellent grasp on the subject and an understanding, even if some of it was not quite 100%, it was pretty good, he also knew the laws of Time Travel (even if he did get a couple mixed up) and had some knowledge about **_TARDIS_**  
mechanics.  
  
He often surprised Rudan with his knowledge, it wasn’t quite complete or correct, but, Rudan got the impression that if it came to it, Merlyn could quite possibly fly a **_TARDIS_** rather adequately, he knew enough _how_ too.  
  
His knowledge was far from complete, and some of it wasn’t quite right or exaggerated, but, it was clear he knew a fair bit about Gallifrey and the Time Lords and their technology, ancestral memory **_or_** something _else_?  
  
By the time he had finished, Rudan was convinced as Asgrad that Merlyn was no spy, that he was simply what he seemed, lost between universes and had fallen through the Time Vortex, yet somehow survived.  
  
A traveller from another world where Time Lords were legends and quite possibly **(** and this was a little concerning **)** from the future!  
  
Like all legends, his knowledge was half right, half false, and in some cases exaggerated, tales had to come from somewhere.  
  
Merlyn was indeed from another universe who’d grown up on the stories of the Time Lords and Gallifrey and of this universe, which suggested that, maybe, _he_ was from the future.  
  
However, it was clear he had, had some exposure to a Time Lord, or had at some stage, quite possibly, just his Time Lord parent, or perhaps he was a _Companion_ of a Time Lord , that was entirely possible too.  
  
He said he was an orphan that he didn’t know who his parents were, but his bio-scan spoke volumes one of his parents was Gallifreyan, but _whom_?  
  
The final test, Rudan decided would be his next question, and this was more to serve his personal curiosity than anything else “Merlyn do you know of, or have ever met someone called _the Doctor_?”  
  
Merlyn who had _realised_ he had just been tested and quite thoroughly, and passed it seemed as well, smiled inwardly, this **_one_** he could answer easily _without_ betraying the Doctor!  
  
“ ** _The Doctor_**! _Yes_! Rastalin and I are huge fans of his! I played him once in a game at a convention; want to see my _Fourth Doctor_ impersonation? We've got all the books, the action figures, remote control Daleks! You _name_ it! I even went as the **_Fourth  
Doctor_** to a convention once! Easy to do when you’re a shapeshifter, Ran and I built a mini _K9_ as well! And we’ve painted the little figures and put them in dioramas as well! We call him either _Doctor,_ _Doctor Chronos_ , or simply _The Traveller_ , in our universe,  
my _personal_ favourites are the third, fourth, fifth, eighth, tenth!, Master Casamir likes the second, Rast the seventh and ninth the most, we’re big fans, to find out that there actually _are_ Time Lords and that we were half Gallifreyan took us both by surprise  
seeing we’re total orphans, but, it also makes us both happy, now we both can follow our own paths **_and_** use **him** as inspiration!”  
  
Rudan held up his hand “I get the picture” clearly the lad had never met or come in contact with the Doctor, and knew him only as a legend, his knowledge of the Doctor like the rest of his understanding was probably half-truths and somewhat exaggerated.  
  
Merlyn’s universe also admired him, but, to them, he was a legend, one Merlyn was clearly fond of and could relate to.  
  
“You _do_?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“The _Tenth_?” Asgrad asked astounded.  
  
“Yes, I do,” said Rudan looking at Asgrad “so you do know of him, but as a legend?”  
  
“ _Near mythical legend_! “Merlyn said “like I said we have _Traveller_ conventions back home! That is what he is commonly known as. He’s got a huge following; Tina and Sal are fans as well!”  
  
“Sal?”  
  
“Salmarian, Tina’s husband, our friend,” Merlyn said.  
  
“Oh,” said Rudan storing that away, maybe that would explain something about the mysterious origins of Merlyn, perhaps not, he then paused and remarked “I wonder what HE would think of all this if he knew of your universe, how much regard he is held  
there”.  
  
“ _Pardon_?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“ **The Doctor**! of course, I wonder what he would make of your universe?” Rudan mused.  
  
Merlyn’s eyes widened “you mean he...he _exists_!” he asked, “people _say_ he does…”.  
  
“Oh he exists alright, probably just not in quite the same way as you see him, he’s a bit notorious but relatively good hearted, kind of makes me wonder just how he would find your universe”.  
  
“ ** _Wow_**!” Merlyn said, “ ** _could_** I meet him?”  
  
Rudan smiled “unfortunately no, we can never locate him, and he avoids Gallifrey, so, sorry, you won’t get to meet your hero, but he is somewhere out there and no doubt getting into mischief!”  
  
“ _Damn_!” Merlyn said, “Rast would be so _green_!”  
  
Rudan said “perhaps”.  
  
“So how I go?” Merlyn asked then “did I pass?”  
  
“Pass what?”  
  
“Your _test_ , of course, you were _testing_ me, testing my knowledge so am I a spy, or aren’t I?”  
  
“Your no spy,” said Rudan surprised and impressed that the lad even _realised_ he had been testing him, he was clearly highly intelligent which made sense considering his lineage, “you did surprisingly well though, but some of the questions I asked were  
_specific_ , and you either guessed at them or totally got it wrong. Questions that if you were a spy you would know, and I know you didn’t try to read my mind”.  
  
Merlyn blushed “uh you _know_ about that?”  
  
“I’m a Time Lord too, Quinawah, and as you know we are _also_ Telepaths, I know another Telepath when I see one, and you’re a Telepath, possibly the _strongest_ I have ever met! And you know how to _use_ it; clearly, you’re gotten some specific training in it”.  
  
“I’m a Jedaini Apprentice and a Prime as well,” Merlyn said, “I kind of hoped you wouldn’t notice that though”.  
  
“My own Telepathy isn’t weak, nor as strong or as probably well developed as yours though. Time Lords are Telepathic Quinawah, and despite your mixed-blood, you’re a Gallifreyan as well, even though you probably know less than most Gallifreyans your  
age, Quinawah once you come into your full power **_as_** a Time Lord, you’ll be if you excuse the expression _one hell of a Time Lord_!”  
  
“Which, in turn, makes me a threat to Gallifreyan society?”  
  
“Well yes and no, but it will _certainly_ cause a few upsets, we generally don’t like to admit that we can get individuals like you Merlyn, you're a unique variation of the norm, some wouldn’t like that, you're a Half-blood Time Lord with all the powers of your two  
halves, due to the Imprimatur and your other half is of an alien race not _known_ in this universe at all. I don’t think you even _yet_ **_realise_** the power you will eventually have. You’re like the Doctor in many ways, as you mature you will realise this, and quite  
frankly, you even **_scare_** me!”  
  
“But I am only _half_ Time Lord!”  
  
“You’re _still_ a Time Lord, whatever your other half is it’s merged your two sides so closely it is hard to separate them, you two sides have merged so completely that one compliments the other, almost like it was _meant_ to be!”  
  
“Oh,” said Merlyn “did I pass muster?”  
  
“Yes you did,” he said, “Asgrad, here are two passes wear them and meet me in the eatery, we will give Quinawah a tour, give him an idea of what he is, and no one will question your presence with them”.  
  
“Very well,” said Asgrad “come along Merlyn, how long will you be?”  
  
“A few minutes” he replied.  
  
“Very well, come along Merlyn” as they left the office.


	4. Gallifrey-the Capitol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * Lord Ruden questions Merlyn some more to try and get the young alien to reveal more about himself much to Asgrads dismay.

When they were gone, Rudan sat alone and said softly “who _are_ you Quinawah Firesong?”  
  
“ _Repeat command sir_ ” the office computer prompted.   
  
“Of _course_!” said Rudan he turned to the computer “computer could you do a search for me? A thorough one? See if you can find references to the name ‘ _Salmarian’_ in the Matrix Databanks? Also, try and find the name ‘ _Tina_ ’, it’s probably a shortened version  
of her actual name in the Databanks as well. They are probably both marked as _renegades_ or something similar, see if you can find any references to them both, they've married and see if they have had any children, also give me a list of Gallifreyan children  
who are Twins, that have been born in the last century or so to known Time Lords, Gallifreyans, and to Rogues. I realise it is a long shot, but Quinawah can’t be more than a century old, and he said he has a twin”.   
  
“ _Scan suggests slight abnormalities on subject ‘Quinawah’ energy levels suggests 18 or 19 years old Gallifreyan or Earth equivalent”._ ** _  
_**  
“I figured he was about that, also cross reference him with The Doctor or any of his known companions, computer, compile these subjects I’ve chosen, take your time, I want to know _who_ he is, and _whose_ child he is, also register him as a Student, but   
under high-security protocols, put password **QUINAWAH** on it spelt **Q-U-I-N-A-W-A-H** I’m just not going to let that young Time Lord slip away. He’s piqued my curiosity”.   
  
“ _Yes, Sir_ ”.   
  
“I’ll be back later,” he said he went to leave the office than turned around “computer one last thing, send out a summons to the Doctor and summon him _back_ to Gallifrey, tell him to come as quick as he can, that it is **_urgent_** ”.   
  
**_“_** _Query? The Doctor? Are you sure?_ ** _”  
_**  
“Yes, I’m certain, he’s not going to be very happy about it granted, but he will come”.  
  
 _“Why, sir?”  
_  
“Because he is _probably_ the only one of us who can take Quinawah **home**!” Rudan said “summon him back under my authority” he closed the door “so it _seems_ Quinawah you will get to _meet_ your hero **after all** ,” he said quietly to himself and allowed himself a quiet smile.  
  
He mused over this, Quinawah clearly _admired_ the Doctor well at least his _idea_ of the Doctor, and he hoped he wouldn’t be too disappointed too much at the reality when he met the man!  
  
The lad was now registered, so he wouldn’t get into trouble, he could wander around freely, and no one would bother him.  
  
As to his friends, Tina and Salmarian ‘ _his engineer friend’_ he strongly suspected that one if not _both_ of them were Time Lords, possibly rogues like the Doctor, not necessarily a _good_ thing for a young Time Lord of perhaps one of the higher houses to hang around, but it was possible, Quinawah didn’t even _know_ that they _were_ Time Lords!   
  
But then maybe it wasn’t so bad after all if he was friends with a couple of rogue Time Lords, maybe, they weren’t even rogues!  
  
Maybe they were just a pair of married Time Lords who had gotten stranded in Merlyn’s universe with no way of returning home, some of the young people did that, they left Gallifrey to see the universe, but they always came back eventually if they could, so maybe what had happened to them was that they gotten trapped in Merlyn’s universe and had settled there, perhaps one was _even_ his parent, and they were just trying to protect him.   
  
Or if they weren’t, they would have recognised Merlyn and his siblings and knew them as fellow Gallifreyans and befriended them or maybe, they were friends of Quinawah’s Time Lord parent.  
  
But he was sure that at least _one_ of _them_ was at least a Time Lord, yes Quinawah’s knowledge of Gallifrey was sketchy and patchy and not entirely accurate but, the lad really knew much more than he thought he would, some of the questions he had asked  
had been **very** specific, and Quinawah had answered many of _those_ correctly.  
  
The lad had had some exposure to Time Lord influences which made Rudan investigate his ‘ _Engineer friend_ ’.

It was possible they _hadn’t_ told him that they were _Time Lords_ though but had answered the questions he had asked.  
  
He wandered down to the eatery, and spying Asgrad came over and asked, “where’s Quinawah?”  
  
“I sent him to get us some refreshments,” Asgrad said he faced Rudan “why did you have to question him so _hard_ though? I thought I said I get him to answer your questions; you practically _interrogated_ the poor kid! Didn’t you trust me?”  
  
Rudan said, “easy now old friend, it was necessary; I only asked him some questions”.  
  
“You were testing him!” said Asgrad “he’s **not** a spy!”  
  
“I know he’s not,” said Rudan “Asgrad I’m sorry it was necessary with all this business with Faction Paradox, the Celestes, the Matrix and the Doctor. I had to _see_ for myself whether Quinawah was a spy or something, he’s not, but he knows more than he should even if some of it is untrue or exaggerated. He **_has_** been exposed to a Time Lord, possibly just his parent, even if he didn’t know that they were”.   
  
“His friends?”  
  
“Yes or at least **_one_** of them, if not **both** , also doesn’t it strike you as odd that he speaks perfect Gallifreyan? With just an accent?”  
  
Asgrad stopped stunned, it was true, Merlyn did speak perfect Gallifreyan he hadn’t _realised_ it until Rudan had pointed it out, they all been speaking _Gallifreyan_ and Merlyn had spoken it back.   
  
“How do you think he _knows_ that, _Hmm_?” Rudan asked.  
  
Merlyn came back “Hi Lord Rudan, Asgrad got me to get us some refreshments, you know I am really developing a taste for the Gallifreyan version of tea though!”  
  
Rudan said “one more question Merlyn how is it that you speak _perfect_ Gallifreyan with **_hardly_** an accent?”  
  
Merlyn laughed “I _wondered_ how long it would take you to notice that I’m **not**!”  
  
“You’re not?”  
  
“No, I’m not, you only hear it as _Gallifreyan_ , and I hear it as _Galactic Standard_ ”.   
  
“Pardon? Explain?”  
  
“Dorenganzan ability, we Dorenganza have a built-in translator, it’s an ability we all have, it means we can travel anywhere in the galaxy and be able to communicate as long as it is a largely spoken language, our speech comes out as the native speech of the  
planet we are on, but we hear it as Galactic Standard. _I’m_ speaking Galactic Standard, but you’re hearing it and seeing it as _Gallifreyan_. I **can’t** speak Gallifreyan, I wouldn’t mind learning it though, we can switch it off, but we don’t tend to, normally.”  
  
Rudan said, “handy ability much like a **_TARDIS_** telepathic circuit”.  
  
Merlyn said “it is, but it makes you lazy to try and learn a new language, doesn’t always work though especially if the language isn’t all words. But most languages in the universe are spoken, so it works _most_ of the time”.   
  
“So, if you turned off that ability, you wouldn’t be able to understand us and vice versa?”  
  
“Uh huh,” said Merlyn “although you’d probably understand me fairly well, seeing Galactic Standard isn’t all that different to Terran English”.   
  
“Oh,” said Asgrad.  
  
“What about your own people’s language?”  
  
Merlyn said, “we have one it’s just not used a lot and is mainly forgotten, unfortunately”.   
  
“Oh, go on”.  
  
Merlyn continued, suddenly sounding a lot older than he appeared “the truth is, we don’t really know how we even came into being, none of us can answer that question, we had a written language once too, but like a lot of things about the Dorenganza it is lost forever”.   
  
“That’s a shame,” said Asgrad.  
  
Merlyn shrugged “it has gotten lost in Time, we don’t really have a written language anymore, stories and history are passed by generations, or written down in some other language. We lost our home world long ago, and are Wanderers, we’re known as ‘ _The  
Gypsies of the Universe’_, Wanderers, entrepreneurs, and often chased off planets because we um. A little _Chaotic_ , we have claimed one of the Planes for ourselves, and call it **_Xanadu_** ” they remembered seeing his ID. It had stated his race as _Dorenganza_ but  
next to it had been the word ‘ _Xanaduen_ ’”.  
  
“Go on,” said Rudan curious to know more about this alien race from another universe and possibly, another time and dimension.  
  
“So, you are Wanderers?” Rudan asked, “without a home world”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “ yes, a majority of us live in _Xanadu_ , a good many of us live on Earth or on other planets throughout the universe, I spent most of my life on _Saris 4_ myself, and I still consider it home. Or we live on huge floating cities in space, or in  
abandoned ships that have fused together and become giant floating cities or on places like the Ether Sea, which is another Plane, which is why we have lost a lot of our history”.  
  
Rudan nodded “what happened to your homeworld?”  
  
Merlyn said, “ no one's really sure, the common theory is that there was a war, possibly a Time War that wiped our world from Time and from memory, but there is no one left alive to remember it, but if that was the case we must have been aware of it seeing  
we survived; truth is no one really knows”.  
  
“Do you even know what a Time War is?” Rudan asked remembering that when he had first arrived, he had said something along the lines of “ _am I on a Time Lord ship during the Time Wars_?” he doubted that Asgrad had noticed, entirely him saying it, but,  
Rudan had noticed he had, which is another reason that Rudan had a sneaking suspicion that he was from the future, or his Time Lord parent had been, Or even his friends and if so, how far into the _future_ was he from?  
  
Asgrad frowned at his friend and said “ _Rudan_! haven’t you questioned him enough already?”  
  
Rudan ignored him “do you know what a Time War is?”  
  
Merlyn took a sip of his tea and said “ yes I do, a war not only across space but across Time as well, it is what we suspect destroyed the Dorenganzan Home world, that seems the obvious reason as none of us can remember it only that we had one and it is  
now gone, and that is why we are Wanderers. Trouble is we seem to be getting into one now in our universe”.  
  
Rudan and Asgrad both looked at him in amazement then that was something they had not expected! Especially from a young crossbreed alien with the Rassillon Imprimatur from another universe and possibly, Time!  
  
Who are you, Quinawah Firesong ? Rudan thought, spy the child was not, but whatever he was, he was way more than what he seemed and seemed to know too much, even if it wasn’t all accurate, he was an anomaly, a question mark, a rogue element.  
  
He was highly intelligent, was half Gallifreyan, and Psionically trained.   
  
Rudan was getting increasingly convinced that he was from the future or at least his Time Lord parent had been.  
  
Asgrad said “I’d advise you keep that to yourself around here Quinawah” he glared at Rudan again “and you too Rudan! look I know you outrank me, but for the sake of friendship could you, please keep this to yourself?”  
  
Rudan said, “very well”.   
  
Asgrad looked at Merlyn “could you go get us some cakes or something Merlyn and another pot of tea, I want a few words with Rudan”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I didn’t mean to upset you…”.  
  
Asgrad said “you didn’t but I also have to make sure Rudan keeps quiet about you too! You are a stranger here, and you shouldn’t be here, so we have to protect you!”  
  
Merlyn shrugged “Ok.” And got up, well used to this, he was a Jedaini Apprentice after all, but, he was also curious what they were going to say, so he reached into his bag and switched his Comms device on to record, he’d listen to it later in private and then got up and did as Asgrad asked.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're a Time Lord! you have Forever!"- I love this line in this chapter!  
> Asgrad gives Rudan a piece of his mind as they discuss Merlyn

Once he was gone, Asgrad turned onto Rudan and said “ you already know my opinion on you interrogating the poor child as hard as you did, he’s my patient and he is lost and confused! And probably doesn’t even realise fully what he is capable of!”  
  
Rudan said “ Lost and confused he may be, but he is no child Asgrad. He’s a young adult, and I think he knows more than he is telling, he is trying to protect someone, I am guessing either his Time Lord parent or his two friends who also might be his   
parents! Or are friends of his parent, one of his friends is at least one of us, the other one might just be a regular Gallifreyan, and one of his parents is one of us, but which one I can’t still work out. But he is trying to protect someone that much is obvious,  
one of his friends may be his parent, and the other is possibly a companion of his parent, I want to know _whose_ child he is!”  
  
Asgrad said “ maybe this _Tina_ is his mother and that is who he is trying to protect… but still Rudan, can’t you back off just a little? He’s scared, he’s confused and is on a world he has heard legends of but probably didn’t realise it actually existed!”.  
  
Rudan said “ this Tina he speaks of is the most likely candidate for his parent, I think she might possibly be his mother, he seems to have the closest connection to her, and he is trying to protect her, I am trying to find out who she is, but seeing she hasn’t   
told him her full name, and she uses just ‘ _Tina_ ’ it is going to be hard to find her. She is possibly a renegade so Tina mightn’t even be the shortened version of her name, seeing Rogues and renegades generally don’t use their names, they use things like _The  
Doctor_, or _The Master_ or something like that, or as the case may be with this ‘ _Tina_ ’, she has adopted a native name.”  
  
Asgrad looked thoughtful “ I suppose we should find out who he is, seeing technically he is a Time Lord, have you tried _Terra_? That is a Terran name”.  
  
“Earth?” said Rudan “ _Sol three_?”  
  
Asgrad nodded “you know I am quite fond of the planet, even though my chances of ever seeing it for myself is slim, and I have come across the name _Tina_ in its literature, it’s a Terran name, it is possible that Tina lives on Earth or _has_ at some point”.  
  
Rudan said “ but that could take _forever!_ The humans have expanded out from Sol and are all over the universe now… and I strongly suspect that Quinawah isn’t even from our Time! I think he is from the future”.  
  
Asgrad shrugged “you’re a **_Time Lord_** , you _have_ _forever_ ** _!_** more or less, or you could just leave it be, which is what I would do but, I know you won’t, and what makes you think he is from the future?”  
  
“Just some of the things he has said, and how he answered some of the questions I gave him, you probably didn’t notice but when he first arrived one of the first things he said upon regaining consciousness was ‘ _am I on a Time Lord’s ship, during the Time Wars or something?_? And he also says that his universe seems to entering into one as well”.  
  
Asgrad said, “I _noticed_ , but I thought maybe it was because he was still dazed”.  
  
Rudan said “ _something_ made him say it! Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? And also question _when_ he comes from not just _where_? Also, he mentioned, a ship, called the **Intrepid** and that it had gone places where it never should have gone and that it had a   
Temporal engine… he also said that Tina is a Science Office and a Lieutenant Commander on a ship called the **Xanadu**. Young Merlyn has revealed more to us than he probably _intended_ to, which is also why he is not a spy. A spy even dazed as he, would not  
have done that. But that does leave questions, who is he?, who is his Time Lord parent? If it is not Tina, who is still the most likely choice, what is the **Xanadu?** , what is the **Intrepid?** And _why_ has it gone places where it never should have gone? And _when_ and _where_ does he come from? And what does he know?”  
  
Asgrad said “you do have some valid points, Rudan, you really think he is possibly from our future? And that he is the future of Gallifrey?”  
  
Rudan nodded “it is possible, isn’t it?”  
  
Asgrad said, “ then what happens to us…?”  
  
“That is the _ultimate_ question, isn’t it? What does he know about us that we don’t know ourselves yet? Which is why I think he is from the future” Rudan looked thoughtful “poses an interesting question, doesn’t it? I’m a Time Lord, but so is our alien guest,  
we have heard of it happening, and there are theories of it, I think in our alien guest from another time and dimension we actually see what _does_ happen when it does! And what the result is! Find out more about our young guest's people, the Dorenganza,  
maybe they are us… maybe it is what we become… find out who he is, find out about the _Intrepid_ and where it all fits into this… find out _who_ he is! And _what_! And how come he mentioned a Time War, not to mention knows what one is!”   
  
Asgrad said, “ I will try…”  
  
Rudan nodded “ we need to know **_who_** he is!” he stood up and adjusted his robes and collar" I’m due in the Council Chambers soon, so I’ll have to leave you and Quinawah alone, for now, I will leave him in your care, he trusts and likes you, so I will catch up   
to you later. Also, I will see if we can put the lad in with some of the students at the academy to take some classes, he should at least get to know something of his history and what he is half of”.  
  



	6. Asgrads Dwelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asgrad takes Merlyn Home and takes it upon himself to learn a little more of his young guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a spinoff from my story Journey Part One, but Journey doesn't necessarily need to be read. The Part about Merlyn getting shot is a reference to an incident that happened in Part one of Journey, Merlyn got shot in one of his hearts, and due to already been of an alien race and half Time Lord Merlyn does have some advantages of a Gallifreyan Physiology one been the two hearts.

“He prefers Merlyn you know,” said Asgrad as his friend walked off, just as Merlyn rejoined them holding a tray with three cups, a teapot and what looked some sandwiches, and a bowl of what passed for Ice Cream on Gallifrey.  
  
Asgrad had to smile, Merlyn liked the sweet frozen treat, and so did he, so he made a mental note to pick them up a tub on their way back to his house.  
  
“Rudan had to go,” he said to him.  
  
Merlyn looked after Rudan’s disappearing form “Time Lords?”  
  
“Yes,” said Asgrad “glad I’m not one, couldn’t stand all the meetings and that they have to attend… I have enough on my plate as it is just a medical officer. Politics has never been my forte”.  
  
Merlyn looked thoughtful “ no wonder the Doctor left… seems a lonely life, I did some reading”.  
  
Asgrad chuckled “ you probably shouldn’t _admire_ the Doctor so much”.  
  
Merlyn looked at him “ I can’t help but do so. He’s a legend! I wish I could meet him! Especially seeing you say he exists!”  
  
Asgrad said, “chances of meeting him are pretty slim Merlyn, he avoids this place like the plague…can’t really say I blame him!”  
  
Merlyn said “Gallifrey is beautiful! How come most of you never leave the Citadel?"  
  
“Arh so you have been doing some reading, I thought you might have been, it’s just the way it is….tell you what I will take you to the museum tomorrow, you seem on the mend, and maybe I could arrange that we get leave to leave the Citadel and go visit my  
sister's estate or something or just go on a picnic, Rudan wants to send you to the Academy with some of the students, but it’ll take a couple of days to set that up whilst we also find a way to get you home”.  
  
Merlyn shrugged and took his bowl of ice-cream and started to eat it “up to a few days ago I thought everyone on Gallifrey was Time Lords”.  
  
Asgrad chuckled “ as I said so does the rest of the Galaxy, and we usually let them believe that” and noticed that Merlyn had gotten him a plate of the frozen treat too “we have some gardens as well, there is little in the way of vegetation in the Citadel, but  
there is a couple of parks and a Garden”.  
  
“I noticed that it seems rather austere and grand but not a lot of greenery and is definitely a lot bigger inside than it appears outside! Temporal engineering?”  
  
“yes,” he said, “ you seem to have a rather good understanding on the subject if not entirely accurate or complete, that surprised Rudan and me!”  
  
Merlyn shrugged “ Tina, I help her sometimes, she knows something of it as well”.  
  
Asgrad nodded to himself, Merlyn was obviously trying to protect this _Tina_ , but, he had to agree with Rudan, Tina was clearly the Time Lord he had been exposed to, and she was probably his mother. It was possible he didn’t know that she was, Merlyn’s  
manner suggested that, a son trying to protect his mother without actually knowing that she was, which indicated that Tina was maybe trying to protect _him_!  
  
Asgrad said “ seeing you have an interest in the field, I’ll see if we can arrange an excursion for you to the **_TARDIS_** workshops and maybe see if we can get you a ride in one. I have another friend who works down there, we might be able to get you in to have  
a look around and ask questions.”  
  
Merlyn looked at him “you seem to have a lot of friends with _benefits_ ”.  
  
Asgrad chuckled “I’m a medical doctor, but the truth is, having a friend who's on the Council is advantageous! I mightn’t always agree with Rudan, and sometimes I find him, dare I say… _stuffy_ , but we've known each other for years, he is my best friend, but what do you mean? By that?”  
  
“Where I come from _Friends with Benefits_ is a term used to describe friends who have oh I don’t know access to Benefits, their the child of a millionaire or something or hold a high position, or know someone who is, or does, or in a line of work you can use  
like a plumber or something, benefits they and you can use… like having a friend who's on the Council of the Time Lords! Thus a _Friend with Benefits_!”  
  
“Arh,” he said, “I get it”.  
  
Merlyn said, “ for an ancient and all-knowing race, you seem somewhat _sheltered_ in many ways!”  
  
“Most of us never leave Gallifrey,” said Asgrad “ no real reason to actually”.  
  
“No wonder you….” Merlyn trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished.  
  
Still, it made Asgrad wonder what he was going to say as they left the cafeteria.  
  
“So where to now?” he asked Merlyn “what else would like to see? Not that we have much time left before most things shut down for the night”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I’m a little tired actually”.  
  
“That’s fine we’ll go home then, your healing well though seeing you weren’t that injured apart from the concussion, although I noticed that one of your shoulders was crooked”.  
  
Merlyn said, “ it was broken when I was a baby, it left me with a slight curvature of the spine and a weak shoulder, it’s why I am shorter than my twin, I’m not frail or anything, but I am not as physically strong as he is”.  
  
He nodded “ I could try and operate on it if you like?”  
  
Merlyn said, “ no it’s fine it doesn’t really bother me actually”.  
  
He nodded “I’ll look at it anyway”.  
  
Merlyn said, “ I am not sure if there is really anything that can be done about it”.  
  
He nodded as they stopped by a store, and he got a couple of tubs of the frozen treat that Merlyn seemed to like in a couple of flavours and took him home.  
  
“Here let me examine you, see how your healing, you've been put in my care,” he said.  
  
“I’m pretty much healed putting myself in a meditative trance and getting some sleep helped” he replied.  
  
“I noticed that,” he said “ but I am a Doctor so let me examine you “ he smiled “your young, but you did fall unprotected through the Time Vortex, even we have trouble surviving that!”  
  
“I’m probably too young to regenerate,” he said.  
  
“No your not,” he said “you don’t really want to do so yet Merlyn!” he chuckled, he said pulling out a device and checking his chest frowning at something “what happened here? You seem to have a healed wound here on your right heart?”  
  
“I got shot,” said Merlyn ‘thought that had healed?”  
  
“it has but it’s still showing up as happening, you got a slight scar, and some deep bruising it’s amazing you survived, he looked at him, “who treated you? And where?”  
  
“Saris 4” he replied, “ and then the Xanadu”.  
  
He nodded “Ok I’ll make a note of that… ok lie down I’ll finish it”.  
  
”You mean it isn’t healed?” he asked.  
  
“Oh, it’s healed, but I can get rid of the scar, the bruising and strengthen that for you”.  
  
“Wouldn’t that require surgery?”  
  
“ You’re on **_Gallifrey_** Merlyn,” he said with a chuckle, “just lie still and relax whilst I get some equipment I’ll need”.  
  
“You work from your home?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“ yes I’m appointment only mostly,” he said, “ why do you think Rudans left you in my care and why it was me he bought you too when you arrived? Fewer questions that way”.  
  
“Oh,” said Merlyn.  
  
“Shouldn’t take a moment?” he said.  
  
Merlyn said, “ err, ok”.  
  
**H** e nodded and went to get what he needed and came back, noticing that Merlyn had either gone to sleep or was in that meditative trance he had put himself into before he wondered about that and wonder if he should question him further about it, the  
young alien was extraordinary he decided, no wonder Rudan wanted to know more about him, **was** Merlyn their future?  
  
He had taken some blood samples from the young alien whilst he been unconscious.  
  
He had noticed that his blood was of similar colour and makeup as theirs, but, it also had been alien and had a slight glow to it, it appeared that Merlyn’s people were in many ways not too unlike their own, which made Rudan’s theory plausible, was this  
what they became? And how far in the future was Merlyn from? Was this **why** the Time Lords were legends where he came from because they no longer _existed_? That thought was worrying.  
  
He said “ I’m putting a device on you it shouldn’t harm you, but it may feel a little strange ok? It is made for our own people which you are half of so it may take a moment to adjust to your physiology. Let me know if it starts to hurt” not really expecting an  
answer.  
  
“Ok,” said Merlyn.  
  
“Arh, so you are awake,” he said, “I wasn’t sure.”  
  
“I was meditating” Merlyn replied, opening his startling eyes, they were blue but shone like a star “ healing trance”.  
  
“Ok,” he said, “this may feel a little strange, but it shouldn’t harm you”.  
  
Merlyn nodded and let him do so and closed his eyes again and went back into his trace.  
  
Asgrad attached the device to him and then adjusted some things “ let me know if this starts to get uncomfortable or starts to hurt, ok? Your Half Gallifreyan but you are also alien”.  
  
“OK,” he said.  
  
Asgrad nodded and adjusted his device “ keep yourself calm Merlyn this shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes or so”.  
  
Merlyn nodded, and Asgrad took his pulse, routine for a Gallifreyan, checked where he had gotten a bump on his head it had gone down.  
  
The cut was healing, and the concussion appeared to be gone, his burns had healed too, he seemed well on the mend.  
  
His Artron levels were a little high, but that was probably because he had fallen unprotected through the vortex, but, nothing too harmful he checked the device and nodded and then said “ not too much longer now” although he suspected that he had fallen  
asleep, he pulled the blanket over him and went to his laboratory and looked with some interest at Merlyn’s blood in the vials, it was the same colour as theirs more or less, but, it also had a faint glow, he wondered what made it glow.  
  
“You’re a mystery, my young friend,” he said softly and wondered if he should tell Rudan about it.  
  
He heard a beep and went to see what it was and saw that the device had finished its work he removed it and noticed that Merlyn had fallen asleep, he had said he was tired, and he was healing.  
  
Asgrad nodded and went to his lab/surgery again and looked through his appointments and cancelled them all for the next couple of days, they were nothing major and could keep, right now keeping Merlyn safe was his main priority until at least Rudan  
managed to get him into the Academy.  
  
Not used to having a guest he wondered what he could do now, maybe he would take Merlyn to the museum or on a tour of one of the scientific institutes.  
  
He had a healthy interest in Science it seemed, had he been born on Gallifrey he’d probably have been either Prydon or Arcalian, he wondered if he could get him access to some tutoring programs or something, so he could read up on what been Half Time  
Lord meant!  
  
He made a note to ask Rudan about that.  
  
He had been doing some reading though he knew that, as he found some of his general science Journals had been read.  
  
He generally read some of those himself to keep himself up to date, he hadn’t really thought of how Merlyn had read them until Rudan had mentioned it, so clearly it had been Merlyn’s inbuilt translator.  
  
The city itself had the translation devices, similar to what you found in Tardis’s built-in as well, and Merlyn was also rather Telepathic, which made him wonder just how _Telepathic_ was Merlyn! And that was how Merlyn had known that they were Time Lords  
when he had woken up, he had recognised them.  
  
They were mildly Telepathic as a race, and to someone who was clearly, Highly Telepathic he would have recognised that right away.  
  
“You’re a conundrum, my young friend,” Asgrad said with a chuckle he looked through Merlyn’s things, a notebook that had some writing in it, he read some of it, it seemed like a story or something, a diary dated from the years 2946 to 2949, that was  
curious, and the latest entry was something to do with a planet named Arcanum.  
  
It appeared to be in Earth Time, which would make it about the 30th century by Earth standards, but _which_ Earth! That was indeed the question, so he had been to earth.  
  
There was also a journal in there, and an entry dated a bit back, which although Asgrad felt a little bad about doing so sat down and read some of it, curious, and had to smile, _so_ Merlyn had _met_ the Doctor, but _which_ incarnation? He didn’t say, Clever  
Merlyn!   
  
There was a fair bit about the mysterious Tina in there as well, he knew he should share this with Rudan, but he felt bad about reading this so, he decided he would keep it to himself for now in case it became necessary.  
  
He didn’t read much anyway, he probably shouldn’t be any way!  
  
He put the journal away and picked up something else; it was a reader of some sort.  
  
It was opened to a book by someone called Stephen King.  
  
After reading a bit, he came to a conclusion it was something about a pandemic and a supernatural being, flicking through the titles they seemed mainly space adventures and fantasy novels.  
  
Adventure novels and some comics and he recognised some classic Earth literature amongst the titles, _HG Wells_ been one of them, and some stories about Doctor Chronos.  
  
He had to smile as he looked through a couple of those too, it seemed that The Doctor was indeed known from where Merlyn came from, curious he read one of the shorter stories, curious about how Merlyn’s world personified the Doctor, he was clearly seen  
as a hero of some sort there.  
  
He smiled at the story and then put the reader away, and found what looked like some sort of data crystal or something and wondered what was on it.  
  
Merlyn also had some kind of tablet which he turned on and looked at it some type of mini handheld computer, also something that looked like a Tardis key, a Time Ring (that got him wondering) a handmade Sonic Screwdriver, his wallet and what looked  
like some sort of wrist communication unit and the odd badge he had been wearing when he had fallen through the roof, there were two in fact, and what looked like a bag of sweets, some reading glasses, there was also a multi-functional small knife, his Lightsabre, and a small blaster and his camera.  
  



	7. Asgrads Dwelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asgrad and Rudan take Merlyn out to look at the stars.  
> Also, Ruden reveals that he has summoned someone to take Merlyn Home.

He heard Merlyn stirring in the spare room and put his bag down and went into the room to see if he was alright, “how you feeling you've been asleep?” he asked ‘for about two hours”.  
  
Merlyn yawned “better,” he said, noticing that it had gotten dark, Gallifrey’s skies were half orange and half blue of a night.  
  
“Operation was a complete success as well,” he said, “the bruising is healed completely and so’s your scar”.  
  
“I thought that was healed actually,” said Merlyn.  
  
“It had, pretty much but now it’s full,” he said.  
  
Merlyn sat up “I must have fallen asleep”.

“You did, and well you did take a tumble through the Time Vortex,” he said “Even we can’t do that safely”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “my people the Dorenganza, we’re sort of children of the Void and of the Vortex, _The Empty Places between Stars_ ”.  
  
“Interesting, Ruden is curious about your people, and so am I.”  
  
Merlyn said, “not sure how much I should tell you,”.  
  
Asgrad said, “tell me what you can”.  
  
Merlyn looked out of the window “can I see the stars from here?”  
  
Asgrad said, “you **_want_ **to look at the stars?”  
  
Merlyn said “I like looking at the stars! And wondering what they hide, we are children of the stars. They call to us, “he started to glow a little as he formed what look like a ball of shining light and then another and began to juggle them and adding some   
more. Humming as he did so in what sounded like pure joy.  
  
Asgrad laughed at his pure joy, it was infectious, “what is that?”  
  
“Starstuff!” Merlyn said, “people say we’re made of it! it is the stuff of the universe and of the stars!”  
  
“Your glowing like a star,” said Asgrad.  
  
Merlyn looked at his glow “Meh that’s normal! You start to take notice when we glow blue”.  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“Usually means there danger about, and when we glow red means that there is extreme and deadly danger! We have a natural inbuilt warning system, and when we glow rainbow it usually means were excited or um…aroused, white, or silvery is _normal_ ,   
watch!” he flashed, and suddenly he was surrounded by stars!  
  
“What are you!” Asgrad asked.  
  
“Like I said planars,” he said, “ our raw unshapechanged form we kind of look like silvery elementals, but I’ve never been able to achieve that, I think my Gallifreyan blood stops that, it was one of the costs we paid for it I think, I’ve never been as   
accomplished a shapeshifter as my peers. Also, we seem limited to humanoid or human form”.  
  
Asgrad said “ Hmm perhaps” he paused “ guess I could take you to one of the clearer areas and you could probably see the stars through the dome where there are fewer lights, there is a park nearby…”.  
  
“How come you live under a dome if there is no reason to?” Merlyn asked, “that I don’t understand, where I come from Geo-domes like this are usually there because of environments, but I know some do because it’s a sense of security… is that it?”  
  
Asgrad said, “ it’s always been that way, most of us including myself have barely ever stepped outside the Dome, except to visit my sister, to most of us it is something to be afraid of”.

Merlyn said, “I mean Saris 4 is a huge city, but even it is not under a dome”.  
  
“You keep mentioning this _Saris 4,_ ” he said.

“Saris 4, I consider it my home world I spent a lot of my early life there at the Jedaini academy until Casamir took me on as his apprentice I live mostly in Xanadu now, but I still have fond memories of Saris 4” he looked thoughtful and an image formed in  
front of him of a gas giant planet with what looked like 4 smaller worlds or moons orbiting it.  
  
“Saris four is the largest moon of Saris Prime, which as you can see is a gas giant, it is almost big enough to be a planet itself! Due to its orbit, it’s a moon, all of the people near Saris Prime live on the moons, although 1 and 3 aren’t so hospitable, one is   
rocky and wild, and one is well…mostly Ice, 2 and 4 are the two most hospitable, but, two has very long winters and is mostly wooded. That’s where my brother and I were found at the orphanage, Saris 4 is the biggest and it has a gentle, agreeable climate for most of the year and that is where most of the population live, it’s a big city which takes up about 2/3 of the moon the other is a huge theme park / Holiday resort. It is also the seat of the Alliance and the Jedaini Order”.  
  
“And you grew up on this Saris 4?”  
  
“For most of my early life yes, Casamir still has a house there, but I live mostly in Xanadu now, or on our starship which is also called _The Xanadu_ , I still consider Saris 4 my home, and always will. We have no home world of our own, so we kind of adopt one”.  
  
He nodded “I see”.  
  
“But that’s what I mean. Why live under a dome if you don’t need to? I checked your atmosphere it's like earth and Saris 4’s?”  
  
Asgrad said ‘you really do ask too many questions Merlyn that I can’t answer, it’s just always been that way”.  
  
“Doesn’t make sense…you _had._.. um, _have_ a wonderful world. Although I guess in a way it wouldn’t spoil it… mind you, you aren’t the only race in the universe who does that…there are others…. One comes to mind” he shrugged and wouldn’t say more, but Asgrad had caught his slip of the tongue, what did Merlyn know? What was he trying to hide?  
  
“We’re known as the Shining World of the Seven Systems _,_ ” he added hoping that might get him to open a bit more.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I can see why I did some research”.  
  
“You should have been sleeping…” he said with a chuckle.  
  
“I don’t need a lot of sleep,” Merlyn said.  
  
“That’s your Time Lord blood,” he said, “I noticed you had been reading some of my Science Journals”.

Merlyn shrugged “I was _curious_! You're like a legend to me!”  
  
He nodded “you also have a healthy interest in science and temporal mechanics I noticed”.  
  
Merlyn said, “err yeah... like I said I have a quirky gift with computers, so I kind of got interested in it”.  
  
He nodded and said, “come on, let's see if we can find you some _stars_ to look at”.  
  
Merlyn grinned “alright!”  
  
“We should be able to find someplace to get a cup of tea too,” he said, putting on a coat and leading him outside.  
  
“What about your appointments?’ Merlyn asked.  
  
“I cancelled them for the next few days, Ruden placed you under my care, so right now your my main priority,” he said, he had to admit he was enjoying this, he’d never had a son and been put in charge of a young alien who was half Gallifreyan was probably  
the closest he’d ever come to it, so he was going to make sure that Merlyn enjoyed his time on Gallifrey, and went away with good memories of it and in a way he was glad he wasn’t a Time Lord!   
  
Oh, he had the training of course but had not passed the final test and received his investiture but had chosen to join the Plebeian classes and just be a medical doctor instead.  
  
He probably should try to again one day, but, quite frankly he didn’t really want to, been a medical doctor gave him some freedoms that a Time Lord didn’t get, he was quite happy to leave that to Ruden, and was merely glad that they had remained friends.  
  
“ _Stars_?” said a voice.  
  
Asgrad looked up and saw Ruden “hello still thought you be in Council,” he said.  
  
“I managed to get away early,” he said, joining them “ _Stars_?”  
  
“Our young guest likes to look at the stars,” said Asgrad.  
  
“Arh,” he said, “Hmm _,_ I could arrange a trip to the observatory for him,”.  
  
“I’d like that!” Merlyn said.  
  
“Do you like to look at the stars?” Ruden asked as he fell into step beside Asgrad, with Merlyn between them both.   
  
Merlyn nodded “yes”.  
  
Ruden said “I’ll arrange a trip to the observatory for you” and was rewarded with a smile.  
  
“We’re just going to take a walk to one of the parks,” Asgrad said.  
  
Ruden nodded “I’ll join you, I need to get out for a while, I was just on my way to see you actually, I managed to get Quinawah into the Academy to get some basic education, in a couple of days, only some introductory classes, stuff most his age would know  
already, I told them that he was the child of unfortunate circumstances and that he wasn’t born here. Quinawah words of advice for you, one: don’t let on that you are an alien, two: don’t mention you unique heritage, pass yourself off as Gallifreyan just not   
born here, it’s rare and uncommon, but it has happened in the past, say you were born on Earth if you must. “  
  
“Won’t I seem like a dunce to the rest of the students though?”  
  
“Yes, and No, you have enough knowledge to pass muster, but it is not entirely all correct or accurate, which falls in with the story I fabricated for you, which is as follows. Your parents were renegades, you lost them both in an accident. You were bought back here, and although your knowledge is quite good, it is not entirely accurate because you were bought up somewhere else other than Gallifrey so you haven’t had the education most your age would. I’ve got you some basic access to the Matrix as well so you can well use some of the tutoring tools and texts that you will find useful, we will try to get you home, but that may take some time, so this will keep you occupied and safe and stop most people asking awkward questions of you, pretend you’re Gallifreyan, also I am going to use my position and say that your also helping me with some research about other planets and that is part of your agreement with us, that is also not uncommon, but, it will protect you from someone else trying to take advantage of you and believe me someone would! Not all my colleagues are as trustworthy as I am, some of them will use you to get more power for themselves. Tell them I’m your mentor”.

“Ok,” said Merlyn.  
  
He nodded “ Asgrad he is still under your care, it will be easier to leave him with you, and we’ll remain doing so”.  
  
“Very well, Ruden,” he said, “we could have just said that he was a Plebeian.”  
  
Ruden shook his head “he knows just a little too much, due to his mixed blood he is effectively a Time Lord, so no we’ll stick with this story that he has been bought up somewhere other than Gallifrey”.  
  
“Well I had the training too, we all do, I just never received my Investiture, because I failed once and decided to just let it go…some of us do that!”  
  
“I still reckon you should try again,” said Ruden.  
  
“No, I am perfectly happy doing what I am doing,” he said, ‘you’ve always been the smarter one out of us both, and you _thrive_ on it!”  
  
Ruden shrugged “I still reckon you gave up too easily” Merlyn watched this exchange and realised he saw a side here to Ruden that most rarely saw.   
  
It was clear that he and Asgrad were old friends who knew each other well.  
  
Asgrad shook his head “not for me, “he said.  
  
“You said you _weren’t_ a Time Lord,” said Merlyn.

“I’m not we all get the training, Merlyn, I just failed the last exam and decided to leave it at that, much happier to just be a medical doctor,” he said, “ as you acutely observed it can be a lonely life”.

Merlyn looked thoughtful “ok, but what about me? Couldn’t you just pass me off as the same?”  
  
“As I said although your knowledge is incomplete and inaccurate you know too much, and you have a knack for Temporal mechanics, you have to do your service to your world as part of your training, and that is about where you are,” he said ‘, and that is  
what we are going to use”.  
  
“Oh”.  
  
“We are trying to find you a way home but for now, abide by our rules and don’t cause too much attention to yourself,” Ruden said.  
  
“Ok,” he said.  
  
Ruden nodded and handed him something “I’ve given you standard access, that most students of your level get, use it to do some of the tutorials and that, and I hope your telepathic translator is sufficient”.  
  
“Wow,” said Merlyn recognising it for what it was.  
  
“Now it _stars_ you want to see?” asked Ruden.  
  
Merlyn nodded “yes”.  
  
“I know a place, follow me,” he said.  
  
“Could I get out of the Citadel?” Merlyn asked, “just so I can look around a bit?”  
  
Ruden looked thoughtful and then said to Asgrad “your sister doesn’t live too far from the Citadel, does she?”  
  
“No, she doesn’t,” said Asgrad.  
  
Ruden nodded “ we could probably arrange you some leave to go visit Asgrad’s sister, most of us never leave the Citadel there is no real need to, but I do know Asgrad does sometimes go visit his sister”.  
  
“Is your sister an Outsider?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“ ** _No_**!” said Asgrad “she just married into one of the houses, so she lives about an hour outside of it, a lot of the nobles do have estates where they raise their families, and I have been known to go visit her on occasion”.  
  
“Oh,” said Merlyn.  
  
“I’ll arrange it,” said Ruden, “one day, no more though”.  
  
“Sounds fair enough,” said Asgrad.  
  
“You really do watch over your populace, don’t you?” Merlyn said.  
  
“And so much more,” said Ruden, “it is our responsibility to do so, you probably don’t fully understand our responsibility we have to the universe seeing you weren’t born here and are possibly not even from this universe! But it is our responsibility to do so  
every Gallifreyan knows that”.  
  
Merlyn looked thoughtful “actually I have an idea, I’m Jedaini and am also considered a Guardian of the Universe, the Jedaini have long watched over the universe ourselves. So, every Jedaini is made aware of that responsibility I’m not a full Knight yet, but I   
am a Senior Apprentice, so yes, I have some idea of the responsibility you talk about. Also, my race has long been Guardians of the universe as well”.  
  
Ruden said, “you understand then why we do what we do?”  
  
Merlyn said, “to some degree yes”.  
  
“Which is exactly why we can’t just let you hide, you know too much,” he said “I do realise you are trying to protect someone and I am guessing it is your friends and quite possibly your Time Lord parent,” Ruden said “and I will allow you to do that, but don’t  
think we won’t find out who you are eventually. You are a _conundrum_ Quinawah, a _mystery_ , one I intend to solve! So, let's call ourselves even on this one”.  
  


“I still reckon you should let it be,” said Asgrad ‘but I know you won’t”.  
  
Ruden said, “and nor should you! but here, _stars_!”  
  
“Wow!” said Merlyn as he realised that he had been led to a clear area that was free of light and buildings.   
  
He had an unobscured view of the stars through the dome, despite Gallifrey’s weird coloured sky, as they had been walking gently upwards the past few moments.  
  
“Where are we?” Asgrad asked.  
  
“Near one of the great machines” Ruden replied, “but no one comes up here usually except to do maintenance, I have access due to been on the council, but I remembered that this was a good place to see the stars” he adjusted his collar and then took it off   
and rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
Ruden was tall and thin with austere features, and thinning brown hair and grey eyes, Asgrad was shorter, a little plump with grey streaked black hair, brown eyes and looked more like someone’s father or uncle than anything else.  
  
“ _Friends with benefits,_ ” Asgrad said with a chuckle “now I get what you meant Merlyn”.  
  
“Pardon?” Ruden asked.  
  
“Private joke between Merlyn and I,” said Asgrad.  
  
“You're enjoying this, aren’t you?” Ruden asked, “at _my_ expense?”  
  
Asgrad said “the most fun I had in years! Look the point is until we get him home, I want to make sure he leaves here with a good impression of us, and the people he half belongs to”.  
  
“Little more than half actually,” said Ruden “ more like 2/3” he indicated Merlyn who was looking at the view of the stars his eyes shining in the light “ he has the _Rassillon Imprimatur_ alright, and despite his alien blood he is basically one of us, he has just   
about everything else too, yes I correlated your data and ran a few tests on my own” he looked at Merlyn “ is he _**glowing**_?  
  
Asgrad looked and saw what he meant he hadn’t noticed it but seeing it was darker now he could tell now that the young alien had a soft silvery-white glow liming his form.  
  
“He is, he says that’s normal for his race, he said to take notice if it changes to blue or red”.  
  
Ruden stroked his chin “I see” and replaced his collar and went to join the young alien “our system is called Kasterborous, there are six planets, twin Suns, two moons, which is why it is hard to find a place where it gets fully dark, two habitable worlds   
Gallifrey and Karn, we can even see some of them from here,” and proceeded to point out some of them to him, finding he also oddly enjoyed this himself.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I come from a world called Saris 4, it’s a moon the size of a planet almost, Saris Prime is a Gas Giant, so everyone lives on the moons”.  
  
Ruden nodded “I see, I didn’t realise that you liked stars, I’ll arrange a trip to the observatory for you. Might even come along myself”.  
  
“You like stars too?” Merlyn asked.  
  
Ruden said, “ one of my passions I admit, is Astronomy it’s why one of my personal projects is life on other planets, which is as I said what we are going to use as part of your cover story, your assisting me with it, it is not uncommon for students to do that,  
act as an assistant to a Lord, actually it is expected, so no one will question it, or my right to do so, and I’ll help you gain some of the knowledge you need to survive, so when you leave here you’ll have a better knowledge of who you are and where you come  
from, _agreed_?”  
  
Merlyn nodded “agreed”.  
  
He nodded ‘sometimes I wish we had more students like you Quinawah, students who find just looking at the stars a simple pleasure”.  
  
Merlyn said, “you’re really different from my first impressions of you, Lord Ruden”.

Ruden said, “ Asgrad is my oldest friend we arrived at the academy the same day, so well he probably knows me better than most do and knows a side of me that most don’t”.  
  
“I still think you're too stuffy and pompous at times though Ruden,” Asgrad said, “Especially since you became a Time Lord! And got on the Council.”  
  
“That’s your opinion,” he said.  
  
“Asgrad and Ruden aren’t your full names, though aren’t they?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“No, they are shortened versions of our names,” he replied, “we all do that”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I thought so” he paused “Quinawah Firesong aka Ongaldan”.  
  
“That’s your name?” Ruden asked.  
  
“Yes,” said Merlyn “Ongaldan is our foster father's name, he’s also our Jedaini Master, Casamir Ongaldan, he adopted Tilanthalas and me, we also have a sister, Crystal, or Crysta as she prefers to be called”.  
  
“I remember you mentioning that you had siblings,” said Ruden.  
  
“Tilanthalas is my twin” he replied, “but you already knew that seeing I already mentioned that”.  
  
Ruden nodded “Time Lord twins are rare” he remarked.  
  
Asgrad said, “ Gallifreyan _twins_ are rare!”  
  
“But I’m not Gallifreyan,” said Merlyn.  
  
“Close enough,” said Asgrad.  
  
“We should probably head back now,” said Ruden “ I’ll arrange a trip to the observatory for you Quinawah and I might even come with you myself, it has been a while since I have been there”.  
  
They walked back downwards and came to a gate which Ruden opened, and they walked out of it and got a couple of looks from the Chancellery Guard who were patrolling the area.  
  
Ruden said to their looks “trouble?”  
  
“No sir,” one said when they realised, he was one of the Council.  
  
“Good,” said Ruden “continue”.  
  
“Just wondering why, you are here, Sir” the other added.  
  
“None of your concern,” said Ruden “my two companions are here under my authority”.  
  
Behind him Merlyn made a gesture “ _you did not see us_ ” he said softly.  
  
“Very well sir” they continued with their patrol and walked off.  
  
“ _Friends with benefits indeed,_ ” Asgrad said in a soft voice to Merlyn “and _what did you just do back then_?”  
  
“ _You noticed that, huh_?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“ _I’m surprised that Ruden didn’t,_ ” he said.  
  
“ _Jedaini Mind Trick wasn’t sure it would work on a Gallifreyan though…”_ Merlyn replied, “and _it might not have_ ”.  
  
“ _What_?” said Asgrad.  
  
“I can _cloud memories,_ ” said Merlyn, “ _temporarily_ “.  
  
“ _You can_?” he asked.  
  
“ _yes,_ ” said Merlyn.

“ _Be careful where you use your Psychic abilities Merlyn;”_ he said and went up to Ruden “we might be able to find somewhere to get some tea”.  
  
Ruden nodded “follow me, I know the place, you probably do too” he added and led them to a place that was quiet but open. Removing his headdress again, they got a few looks a Council member, and two non-Council members but no one made a fuss.

“Maybe you should have changed before coming to see me,” Asgrad said to his friend.  
  
“Nonsense! “said Ruden taking them to a booth at the back.  
  
“This is mostly a workers bar,” said Asgrad then.  
  
Ruden shrugged “so?”  
  
Merlyn chuckled “ I know the feeling” he indicated his Jedaini robes, which Asgrad couldn’t seem to get him entirely out of, especially seeing it was basically all he had apart from some clothes Asgrad had bought him, “you get used to wearing a certain thing,  
and it is hard to get you out of it! Our Master Casamir always wears the trappings of our order. I barely have ever seen him out of it, and as a result, so do Rastalin and me”.  
  
Ruden nodded “I noticed your robes and wondered if they had any significance to you”.  
  
“It’s the mark of our order, much like your robes and collars are” Merlyn replied, “ we usually carry our swords too, but I noticed that no one here apart from the Chancellery Guard carried weapons, so I figured it wasn’t allowed, I mean not even you do!”  
  
“Good observation,” said Ruden “no, we aren’t allowed to that is one of our laws, and it applies to us as well”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “ guess there isn’t really much need too… Jedaini are allowed to on most worlds, but we have to be obviously Jedaini, our swords are the mark of our order, but seeing their an energy blade their mostly discharged and locked anyway.”  
  
“An energy blade?” Ruden asked, “I wondered what it was when we found you, you were unconscious and holding onto it for dear life we had to pry it out of your hand!”  
  
Merlyn said, “I’ll show you later if you wish at Asgrad’s”.  
  
He nodded and said, “ Quinawah get us some hot drinks and a snack “he handed him what that used for money on Gallifrey.  
  
“yes, Lord Ruden,” said Merlyn recognising that Ruden wanted to talk to Asgrad alone in private, curious he turned on his recording device again and walked off.  
  
Asgrad said, “how close is he to one of you?”  
  
Ruden said, “ he is effectively one of us, there is that alien blood in him, but he has basically gotten his investiture due to that mixed blood, there are some differences of course, but he is basically one of us”.  
  
Asgrad said, “so basically what you're saying he is one of us”.

Ruden nodded “ which is why I want to find out _whose_ child he is and whether he is from our future, the databanks haven’t been able to find him yet, which is why I think he is”.  
  


“The planner he carries is dated 2946, which by Earth time would make it…”

“The mid-30th century,” Ruden said, “but _**which**_ Earth!”  
  
“I don’t think it is our one,” said Asgrad, “that is the impression I am getting, looking through it he mentions something about a Science Fiction convention on **_Alpha Centauri_** , and something about a gaming convention in April on a planet called Paradise. He  
also has some names and dates, and what looks like some mathematical equations in it, and he mentions something about a planet called Arcanum, there is also a quick drawing of a ship labelled the **Intrepid,** he has what looks like a journal as well, but, I didn’t read that, didn’t seem right to do so. A date marked down as ‘ _Tina’s Birthday’_ and quite a few other stuffs that was interesting if you know what to look for”.  
  
“Mathematical Equations?” he asked.

Asgrad nodded “I copied them” he handed a sheet of paper over to him.  
  
Ruden looked at it, “they look like co-ordinates or something, I’ll run them through the Matrix” and put it away as Merlyn came back with refreshments, and said, “there was a bit of a wait..”.

“Popular place,” said Asgrad “especially with off duty guards and maintenance workers, and general workers, it’s a workers place which is why Ruden stands out!”  
  
Ruden shrugged, unconcerned, replaced his Collar and poured himself some tea, clearly well used to it, his robes were orange and scarlet of course.  
  
“I’ll arrange you a trip to the Observatory Quinawah, for you and Asgrad seeing I have designated him as your guardian. Word of advice ask questions but don’t seem too overeager and do your hardest not to disturb the peace, they are doing important work  
there.”  
  
“yes, Lord Ruden,” said Merlyn.  
  
“I’ll even come with you if I can get away,” he said.  
  
“You’re on the High Council, are you?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Yes, I am but not on Inner Circle, I don’t really want to be,” he said, “got enough work to do as it is”.  
  
“You're just a _loyal Backbencher_ ,” Merlyn said, remembering something he had seen.  
  
Ruden looked confused at his expression, but Asgrad laughed and said: “you come out with the **oddest** expressions sometimes Merlyn!”  
  
“Means a minor politician” Merlyn explained.  
  
“Oh,” he said, “you been to Earth, haven’t you?”  
  
“Yes,” Merlyn replied, “is _that_ a crime?”  
  
“No,” said Asgrad, “especially seeing you weren’t born here…”.  
  
“No, it is not a crime,” said Ruden, once they had finished, they walked back to Asgrad’s house.   
  
Ruden said, “ Quinawah log into the Matrix and get some of those tutorials I have recommended you, I’ve given you the standard access most students have, read them all it will help you understand a few things better and not make you look like a total fool”.  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden,” he said.  
  
He nodded “good “as Merlyn went into the house.  
  
Ruden said “ Asgrad get him some more clothes, even if you have to get them _made_ for him, if he is most comfortable in the robes he wears get him a couple of sets made, we can just work it into his backstory. Make sure he gets enough sleep, eats well, and  
does the research I assigned him. I have recalled someone to get him, but it might take them a while to arrive here, knowing how _said_ person thinks. He’ll come, but he’ll take his time in doing so, so Quinawah might be stranded here for a while with us”.  
  
“You didn’t summon _**HIM**_ , did you?” Asgrad asked.  
  
“I did, under my authority, I take responsibility for it, he is possibly the only person who can get our young guest home”.  
  
“He’s not going to be happy,” said Asgrad.  
  
“He’ll do it though,” he said, “goodnight Asgrad I will contact you in the morning”.  
  
“Goodnight Ruden,” said Asgrad, going into his house


	8. Several Days Later- The Citadel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Ruden and Merlyn bond.

“ Quinawah could you run those calculations for me again?” Ruden said, “something seems off”.  
  
Merlyn looked up from where he was doing one of the essays he had been assigned “How I double-checked them…”.  
  
Ruden said, “probably not your fault, but something seems off, just could you run them for me again”.  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden,” said Merlyn, retaking them.  
  
It was a few days later, and Merlyn had been on Gallifrey for about a week now and was following the instructions he had been given, attending the Academy and working with Ruden on his personal project, he actually found he didn’t mind it.  
  
He had learnt a lot in the last few days, as a senior Jedaini Apprentice he was used to stuff like this, and this wasn’t really that different.  
  
Ruden could be hard at times but so could Master Casamir, so this really wasn’t much different.  
  
Merlyn was finding he enjoyed just been expected to do his work and attend classes, he been put in with the students who were studying towards what was known on Gallifrey as Grade Six , as Ruden said that although his knowledge was incomplete  
and not entirely accurate, he knew too much to be put at a lower grade, a lot of this Merlyn figured was because of his Jedaini Training, and probably Tina as well, Jedaini Apprentices got some of the best education in the Galaxy!  
  
“A lot of students find it hard to pass that “ Ruden had explained to him when he was explaining it to him “ and I have to say I am impressed that you scored that high given your background”.  
  
“Jedaini Apprentices get some of the best education in the Universe” Merlyn had said. “as I said we also have imparted on us at an early age what our responsibility to the Universe in general is, so I have an idea what you mean”.  
  
Ruden had nodded “I can see that, well done Quinawah, I was afraid you would have had to go to a lower grade, so I am very impressed!”  
  
Quinawah had shrugged and said “I’m surprised myself! Considering…”  
  
So here he was a few days later working with Lord Ruden on his personal project.  
  
Merlyn had been a little worried about the effects that the backstory they had fabricated for him would make him look like a dunce in front of the other students or worse still an object of ridicule or pity, he had even voiced his worries to his two Guardians  
 _“wouldn’t the fact that my parents were renegades be seen as well…questionable?”  
_  
Ruden had said “ _not necessarily, we don’t like to admit that we do have renegades, and the front is that it is disapproved of, but the unofficial thing is we tend to keep them on a very long leash, and many of them keep a low profile anyway and are generally left alone as long as they don’t do anything major like meddling with Time or actively trying to change it” he shrugged “ we’re always had renegades though, so no saying that won’t make you an object of ridicule, pity, or scorn but it will make you an object of questions…. I suspect that your Time Lord parent is a renegade anyway. As I said Quinawah, I am allowing you to keep your secrets, you are obviously trying to protect someone, but you have revealed more than you meant too. We will find out who you are eventually. **Whose** child you are”.  
_  
 _“I honestly don’t know who my parents are” Merlyn had said, “as I said I’m an orphan”.  
_  
 _Ruden said “ maybe that is the case, but it does not mean we will stop looking, but no, you’ll more than likely be something of an oddity but admitting that you are the child of a renegade and that you were not born here will not go too badly against you, if you find it easier, say you were born on Earth a lot of our renegades end up there. Because we find it the easiest planet to blend into”.  
_  
 _Merlyn said, “I know, you look Human”.  
_  
 _“Or Humans look like us,” said Ruden. “depends on how you view it, and you are one of us”.  
_  
Merlyn looked at the figures and frowned seeing what Ruden meant “their different each time”.  
  
Ruden nodded and came over ‘that’s what I thought”.  
  
Merlyn looked at him “what does that mean?”  
  
Ruden said, “ could be anything, temporal fluxes, eddies or something, you said you ended up falling through the vortex whilst working on a Temporal Engine, may I ask why you were doing that?”  
  
Merlyn looked thoughtful as if deciding how to answer “it was the _Intrepid_ , it had gone places it was never meant to, and had come back bringing something with it. Something dark and dangerous, we still can’t figure out what it bought back… but it basically killed the whole crew horribly”.  
  
“Go on,” said Ruden hoping to get the young alien to open more.  
  
Merlyn seemed slightly reluctant to say more but continued “it was meant to fold space around it, to create safe wormholes”.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“So it was easier to travel to the furthest reaches of the Galaxy, but something went wrong, and it ended up going in time… and when the engine opened whilst we were repairing it I fell through it and ended up here, which makes me think that is maybe where it ended up…”.  
  
“What is the _Intrepid_ you have mentioned it several times?”  
  
“As I said it’s a spaceship a scientific deep space research ship well that’s what it was meant to be, now it’s just a haunted hulk” he paused “I got a diagram of it “ he reached into his bag and pulled out a journal and opened it to a page and showed Ruden, “ _The Intrepid_ ”.  
  
He looked at the drawing, “who designed this?”  
  
“Earth, mostly, but some Aliens have been living on Earth alongside humans for centuries, they helped,” Merlyn said, “well at least in my universe that is”.  
  
“So, _you_ are from an alternate universe and Earth?” said Ruden.  
  
“It’s more a Parallel,” said Merlyn “Alternate Universes aren’t really stable and can cause rifts in time and space and damage timelines, Parallels are stable”.  
  
Ruden nodded “So you do know the difference! I’m impressed!”  
  
Merlyn said “but that doesn’t necessarily mean Alternate Universes are bad. Because sometimes they can become stable.”   
  
“Who taught you the difference?” he asked.  
  
Merlyn said “ as I said, Jedaini Apprentices get one of the best educations in the Universe” meaning he probably wasn’t going to say, Ruden had to smile, the young alien was half Gallifreyan alright! And he wouldn’t be at all surprised if his Time Lord parent  
had been Prydonian as well! Most of their renegades had been!  
  
“Rerun the figures and see if we get the same result and if we do, you and I might be able to go on a little trip, if I can convince them that it is needed”.  
  
“A little trip?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“To the co-ordinates, to see why it does keep changing whenever we run them, “he said.  
  
“ _Off Planet_?”  
  
“yes, you're my research assistant so you can come with me,” he said, “rerun those figures and tell me what you find”.  
  
“yes, Lord Ruden,” he said.  
  
Ruden looked at him and said, “you seem used to this type of thing”.  
  
“I’m a Jedaini Apprentice, obedience, responsibility and discipline is part of our code especially when we’re an Apprentice” then he went onto quote:  
  
 _“There is no Light Side and no Dark Side. There is only the Way and The Path. And I will do what I must, too keep the Balance, there is no Good without Evil, but Evil must not Flourish. But where there is Light there is also Darkness, no Stillness without Motion. There is no Black and White. There is Passion, yet Peace, there is Serenity, yet Emotion, there is Chaos yet Order. The Way itself is neither Good nor Evil, it is simply there! What you chose to do with this knowledge is up to you”  
_  
Ruden looked at him in amazement ‘what was that”.  
  
“The Jedaini Code well part of it anyway” he replied, “so yes I do understand some of what you mean when you talk about Responsibility, Obedience and Discipline”.  
  
He nodded “and you’re from the mid-30th century? Earth time?” he said, noticing the date on the drawing of the Intrepid.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I am not sure where that sits in Gallifreyan time”.  
  
“That is an interesting question… seeing you come from a different dimension and universe,” he said, “where do you sit in relative time, the past or the future?”  
  
Merlyn shrugged “never thought of it, to be honest.”  
  
“Maybe you should”, he said, “here’s a task for you, write me an essay on your feelings on and do some research on the subject, take your time with it, and hand it in to me when you’re done”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I already have two essays to write already…”.  
  
Ruden said, “consider this _another_ one”.  
  
Merlyn said, “no wonder most never makes it past Grade six,” he said with a sigh. "surprised I rated high enough to be put in that group”.  
  
Ruden said, “so am I”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I have two other essays to do, a program to make, an experiment to do, and a book on Gallifreyan law and history to read, and oh yeah a tutorial I was assigned, and that’s _going easy on me due to my lack of **proper** Gallifreyan education due_ _to my background_!” Ruden had to smile he had mimicked one of the Cardinals at the Academy perfectly.  
  
“Cardinal Dimas is still there?” he asked, “thought he would have moved on by now, tall thin man with a hooked nose and white hair?”  
  
“The name matches but not his appearance apart from the nose,” said Merlyn.  
  
“Arh,” he said, “what does he look like now?”  
  
“Around your height but broader and with black hair” Merlyn replied.  
  
He nodded “don’t let him catch you doing that though”.  
  
Merlyn said, “ Dorenganza we’re great at stuff like that, also the Cardinals seem to be held in almost religious Awe here, kind of like High ranking Jedaini Grand Masters”.  
  
He nodded “who doesn’t know better than the High Priests of Education?”  
  
“Who indeed?” Merlyn said “gee I could almost write an essay on comparisons! Rastalin would hate this…”  
  
“Rastalin?”  
  
“My twin brother, Tilanthalas” he replied, “I’ve always been the quiet, contemplative one, you’re lucky it was me who fell through the Vortex rather than Rastalin…I don’t mind research and that, Rast, he would hate it”.  
  
“You've mentioned your twin a fair bit…” he said.  
  
“I _miss_ him! I feel like a part of me is missing! He must be afraid that I’m dead or something” Merlyn said pulling out his tablet and finding the photo of he and Rast taken on Saris 4, the Doctor had taken the picture they had been standing near a Christmas tree.  
  
He pulled it up and handed the tablet to Ruden “me and Rast”.  
  
Ruden looked at the photo, Merlyn looking like he had when he had arrived, stood with an arm around a slightly taller boy who looked very similar to him but not identical, he was somewhat more muscular and was wearing dark coloured robes, he had blonde hair where Quinawah had red blonde, and where Quinawah’s eyes were blue, the other boys were green, their features were almost identical but not quite.  
  
“You’re not identical…when you said that you were twins…”.  
  
“I didn’t say we were _Identical_ , we’re Fraternal, we just look similar that’s all, people do have trouble telling us apart though until they know us better though”.  
  
He nodded “twins are rare, your twin is he like you?”  
  
“Yes, but it freaks him out some,” said Merlyn, he looked at the figures he had been running “your right though those co-ordinates keep changing I’ve run two scenarios…”.  
  
Ruden nodded “as I thought”.  
  
“Worth investigating?” Merlyn asked,” And what exactly have we been looking at here?”  
  
Ruden looked thoughtful then said “ I was investigating what looks like an anomaly of some sort but wasn’t going to say anything about it until I knew for certain, this is my personal project, as I said I have always had an interest in the stars myself, and I  
haven’t been able to get any of the students to really stay to help me out. It is a shame we have to get you home, or else I would have taken you on as a permanent assistant, it seems a stroke of luck that you fell into our laps so to speak, however, brief your stay may be here”.  
  
" _His Tardis doesn’t always take him where he wants to go, but it always takes him where he is needed….”_ Merlyn said so softly that Ruden almost didn’t catch it.  
  
“Pardon,” said Ruden.  
  
Merlyn looked at him “just something I read, about The Doctor, it just seemed appropriate”.  
  
Ruden said, “you really _admire_ The Doctor, don’t you?”  
  
Merlyn said, “he’s a legend and a Hero!”  
  
“Maybe you shouldn’t admire him so much,” said Ruden.  
  
Merlyn looked at him “ why not?”  
  
Ruden said, “just be careful of whom you admire Quinawah.”  
  
Merlyn said, “I want to meet him!”  
  
Ruden said, “ there isn’t much chance of that, but come let's go get a bite to eat, I’ve had you cooped up here all morning running figures for me, we probably both need a break.”  
  
“But isn’t that what I am _supposed_ to be doing?” Merlyn asked “doing my service to a High-Ranking Time Lord and to Gallifrey? Running figures and menial tasks for you”.  
  
“One I am not that high Ranking and two it doesn’t mean you have to starve in the process or be worked into the ground, I might be on the Council, but I am not that High Ranking... I am, what was that term you used ‘just a loyal Backbencher’,”  
he smiled slightly then and then added, “although I do expect you to get started on that essay right away!”  
  
“Along with the other two” Merlyn said.  
  
“Actually you should probably finish the two that the Academy assigned you first, shame we have to get you home, if that wasn’t the case, I would act as your sponsor and make sure you got your Investiture and keep you on as my assistant”.  
  
Merlyn shrugged” I can’t _really_ stay”.  
  
“I know you can’t, we’ll get you home it’s just going to take some time,” he said as they walked out of the building.  
  
Merlyn looked in awe at the Panopticon “could I get a tour of that? It is where I fell through the roof”.  
  
“Well you didn’t actually fall through the roof, it was a case of there was a sudden light, and you dropped unconscious out of it onto one of the platforms, which thankfully was where I was, and you fell basically at my feet so I bundled you up and took you to Asgrad before everyone recovered enough to see and as to a tour, not sure if I can, it’s usually off-limits unless for ceremonial purposes”.  
  
“I _**so**_ want to see a Time Lord Council,” Merlyn said with a sigh.  
  
“Why?’ he asked, “can get a bit boring if you ask me at times, and I’m _**on**_ the Council!”  
  
“Just so I can say I have,” said Merlyn.  
  
He shook his head “you say the oddest things Quinawah” Merlyn had gotten used to been called Quinawah by Ruden, at least Asgrad called him _Merlyn_! “but I generally prefer to work on my projects than attend Council Meetings”.  
  
“Just a loyal Backbencher indeed!” Merlyn said with a smile.  
  
Ruden said, “you make me smile, not many can do that, apart from my nephew, he’s only a Time Tot at the moment though, still a baby, but he makes me smile, so can my sister, she was always able to do that, it is nice to find someone else apart from  
Asgrad and them who can make me smile as well, as we have already said your free Quinawah, try and remain that way”.  
  
He led him into an open-air café and ordered them both lunch and said “I’ll pass our findings onto the proper authorities and we’ll see if we can get you a little excursion out to investigate under my supervision of course! Know anything about Tardis Mechanics?”  
  
“Um…I have an interest in the subject, and I bet I could fly one with my quirky ability with computers…but” said Merlyn.  
  
“Thought as much,” he said, “I suggest you read something I will give you, it’s a basic Primer on Type 70+ TT capsules, so if we do get the permission to go explore the anomaly you will have some idea on what’s going on”.  
  
“Type 70? Not a Type 40?”  
  
Ruden said, “Type 40’s are old; we use Type 70’s+ now.”  
  
“Oh,” he said, “do you have one for yourself”.  
  
“Yes,” he said, “and that is the one we’ll be using if we get permission to do so.”  
  
“Oh!” said Merlyn.  
  
Ruden said, “ don’t hold your hopes too high, they might decide that it isn’t worth the effort, or decide to send someone else instead, it has happened before, my project isn’t considered high Priority, when we finish lunch I will leave you alone so you can do  
some work on your assignments, feel free to use any resources I have in my office”.  
  
“yes Lord Ruden, and er thanks for telling the Cardinals that my um _Gallifreyan_ isn’t really up to scratch due to my background and allowing me to write in the language I am familiar with,” Merlyn said.  
  
Ruden nodded “very well, although I am giving you some basic reading and writing Primers so you can actually learn the language of your blood”.  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden” said Merlyn.  
  
“You can’t be half _Timelord_ and not know the language! Both old and new!” he said, “ _ **No**_ Translators!”  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden” Merlyn repeated, making Ruden smile, he only might be here for a few weeks, but he was sure as anything going to _learn_ a few things whilst he was _there_! as they walked out of the office.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pleasant evening at Asgrad's home gets spoilt by something unexpected.

  
Later that evening at Asgrad’s house Ruden knocked on the door and Asgrad answered it “hello Lord Ruden” he said.  
  
Ruden looked at the bowl Asgrad was holding and was mixing something in and asked, “may I come in”.  
  
“Of course,” he said.  
  
He nodded and did so “I bought some Primers and that for Quinawah and something else to make him fit in more”.  
  
Asgrad said “the poor Childs got enough to do already! We’re lucky he is used to study and research! He said that if it had been his brother it would have been harder”.  
  
Ruden shrugged “ we don’t know how long he is going to be stuck here with us so we have to keep him occupied and busy and he might as learn about his people whilst he is at it! especially if he is from our future as we both suspect!”   
  
“I’m just afraid he’ll burn out or something” said Asgrad “our young are trained in this sort of thing from a young age, Merlyn is 19, he has not been bought up here, and he is only half Gallifreyan and although he is brilliant and a quick learner we don’t know how his brain works! It’s used like ours is, but he is also alien!”  
  
Ruden said “he seems to be thriving actually. Even if he did complain and said he already had a heap to do”.  
  
Asgrad allowed himself a smile, _good_ for him! And continued “he was doing some experiment, when I looked in on him last, just hope he doesn’t make too much of a mess of my lab! Like he did last time!”  
  
Ruden said “your _enjoying_ this aren’t you?”  
  
“ _Aren’t_ you?” said Asgrad with a chuckle “your enjoying this as much as I am, don’t be so proper and ‘ _Time Lord_ ’ Ruden you have as much fondness for our young alien guest as I do!”  
  
“What are you making?” he asked.  
  
“Something called Baked rice custard according to Merlyn” he said “not sure if I am doing it right though, he likes it so I thought I try and make some… Merlyn found me a recipe for it off that tablet of his”.  
  
Ruden had to smile, despite everything, one of the things Asgrad oddly found enjoyable was actual cooking! He had never understood it, but Asgrad seemed to find it _soothing_!  
  
“Well good luck on that” Ruden said.  
  
Asgrad said “I like to cook; I even cook food for my **cat**! strange as that may seem”.  
  
“That and Earth Literature!” said Ruden “not to mention _**have** _a cat!”  
  
Asgrad said “I like Earth and Humans; never get to see it I imagine but still doesn’t stop me from liking it”.  
  
Ruden shook his head in wonderment and said, “If you received your investiture you might”.  
  
Asgrad shrugged “but that even isn’t guaranteed, as you well know, how many times have you been turned down to go investigate something? I tend to agree with Merlyn on that point”.  
  
“Can I go see Quinawah”.  
  
“Yes, but like I said he was doing an experiment”.  
  
He nodded and knocked on the door of Asgrad’s lab “come in” Merlyn called out.  
  
Ruden walked in, Merlyn was sitting at the table wearing his glasses and writing something down in an opened notebook, a beaker was bubbling nearby.  
  
He looked up and the smile that crossed his face made Ruden’s day.  
  
Lord Ruden!” he said “do you need me for anything? Although I thought you had dismissed me for the day”.  
  
“I have” he said, “ but I bought you some of those primers I promised and some robes you can wear at the academy so you blend in better”.  
  
Merlyn looked down at his brown and sand Jedaini robes “didn’t think I stood out too much”.  
  
“This will make you blend better, “he said “they’re the robes of a student of the Arcalian Chapter. I thought about making them in the colours of my Chapter which is Prydonian but then I thought about it, and decided that this would suit you better, your more of a thinker than a plotter, and you have a knack for ‘ _fixing things_ ’,” .  
  
“ _Very_ Harry Potter!” Merlyn said with a chuckle “always thought I was either more Ravenclaw or Gryffindor though rather than Slytherin, “.  
  
“Harry Potter? What?” Ruden said totally lost.  
  
“Terran Literature” Merlyn said, “Harry Potter, it’s about a school for wizards”.  
  
“You totally lose me sometimes Quinawah” said Ruden “and Asgrad as well!”  
  
Merlyn said “guess I do, so Arcalian huh? The second most powerful Chapter makes sense. Rast is more Prydonian, he’s the plotter and the strategist…I’m the studious one! It’s why I’m trained to be a Jedaini Consular, Keeper of Lore and history, rather than a Guardian, …”.  
  
He said, “wear them, you’ll stand out less than”.  
  
Merlyn took the robes and looked at them “don’t seem much different to Jedaini robes actually”.  
  
He nodded “yes”.  
  
Merlyn nodded and turned to his experiment “ok I got the mix right this time… I made a mess of Asgrad’s lab last time”.  
  
Ruden nodded and said, “so he said”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I spent _most_ of the night **cleaning** it!”  
  
Ruden said “there are those basic primers I bought you too, their made for children much younger than you but seeing you can’t read or write Gallifreyan…”.  
  
“Oh, I can write it and speak it, I am just not very _good_ at it” he said “thanks! I’ll look at them and I’ve been practising my figures and that” he held up his notebook “as you can see”.  
  
“I see your point” said Ruden.  
  
“I am surprised you’re not one of the Cardinals Lord Ruden…you _sure_ act like you are”.  
  
“I was offered but I turned it down, no my ambitions lay elsewhere, I’m not as ambitious as some but I had my own ambitions and aspirations and made sure I followed those and one of them was to get on the Council”.  
  
“You turned down a chance to be one of the _High Priests of Education_?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Not for me” he said “Asgrad should have done so though, I don’t understand why he chose what he did instead”.  
  
Merlyn looked at him, his blue starlike eyes shining in the darkening light “why do any of us _choose_ the path we want…one of the things we say where I come from is this. _Always be yourself_ "  
  
Ruden chuckled “you are so full of life Merlyn”.  
  
“That’s the first time your called me Merlyn!” Merlyn said.  
  
But Ruden had not noticed and was looking at Merlyn’s experiment “so what are you experimenting with here?”  
  
Merlyn looked at it “something for my chemistry class, it is part of my assignments”.  
  
He nodded “you do realise I am going to be watching you very carefully whilst you’re, here don’t you?”  
  
“Yes, but why?”  
  
“Because I am interested in you, and I am curious and if we ever meet again after you leave here, I want to remember you”.  
  
“But what if I am from the future?”  
  
“ _I’m_ a _**Time Lord**_ Merlyn, I have forever as Asgrad pointed out to me”.  
  
Merlyn said, “guess you do.”.  
  
He looked at a drawing Merlyn had done curious at what he saw, it was of a spaceship he recognised it, as the one he had shown him but it was completed now “is this the spaceship you keep talking about?”  
  
“Which one?” Merlyn asked, “that’s the _Intrepid_ if that is what you mean”.  
  
“The one with the Temporal engine?” Asgrad came into the lab then holding three plates “hope I made this right Merlyn…”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I can’t believe you tried!”  
  
Asgrad said “you like it and I wanted to try”.  
  
Ruden looked doubtfully at the plate and the slightly orange contents in it and said, “ I don’t understand you sometimes Asgrad… we have everything provided for us and you still like to cook!”  
  
Asgrad said “maybe _that’s_ the problem”.  
  
“There is a race in my universe who are similar to yours, intelligent, ancient and wise, but one of the things they seemed to have near totally sacrificed to achieve this is _emotions_.. Time Lords remind me of them in some ways, but not quite as bad” he stirred his rice custard and took a spoonful, “Not bad, especially seeing you had to substitute ingredients with the Gallifreyan equivalent, which is why I am guessing it is somewhat orange!”  
  
Asgrad laughed “well it is _Gallifrey_ , Merlyn!”  
  
Ruden looked doubtfully at it “are you sure it is safe?”  
  
Asgrad said “perfectly, I used Gallifreyan equivalents! And besides if it’s not… well I am a doctor! It’s probably of little or no nutritional value though” Merlyn grinned.  
  
“Time Lords!” Merlyn said with a chuckle.  
  
“Well I’m game” said Asgrad putting his own spoon in and took a spoonful and tried it “not bad! It’s extremely sweet”.  
  
“it’s rice custard!” said Merlyn.  
  
Ruden shrugged and took a bite still a little unsure and said, “it is sweet”.  
  
“Come on you can’t tell me that you don’t have a sweet tooth” said Merlyn with a chuckle “that it is un _Gallifreyan_ to do so! especially seeing you make that great frozen treat I like so much!”  
  
Asgrad laughed “you do, don’t you? You were _eating_ it out of the tub the other night!”  
  
“Err sorry”   
  
Asgrad said “guess that is pretty normal from where you come from?”  
  
“Um yeah” said Merlyn.  
  
“He was _what_!” said Ruden.  
  
“He had a spoon and was eating it straight out of the tub whilst he was doing one of the tutorials you assigned him” Asgrad said “ it kind of took me by surprise too…seeing it is something we would never see any of our youth do!”  
  
“Sorry.”  
  
He laughed “Merlyn your young and you are a stranger here, so of course you’re going to do stuff your familiar with!”  
  
Merlyn shrugged “comfort food, that tutorial was long and dry and a little _boring_ and I got hungry!”  
  
Asgrad said “ _Mmm_ some of them can be”.  
  
Ruden said “ _Learning_ is a strong part of Gallifreyan society”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I know” he checked his experiment, made a few notes, and ticked something off.  
  
Ruden said “also I have managed to get that trip to the observatory for you, in a couple of days, we’re going together seeing your my research assistant and I said you needed to know a bit more about the galaxy as part of my research. My project isn’t   
classed as high priority but I do have some influence, so wear the robes I got made for you, no one will question your presence with me , seeing you are my research assistant”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “Ok…” the lights flickered and he looked up as if seeing something out of the corner of his eye and frowning he got to his feet and before Ruden’s eyes he picked something up and suddenly the room was bathed in a blue light as they heard a _Snap Hiss_ type sound and a length of pure blue/silver light looking a bit like a sword with ghostly runes running down it appeared in Merlyn’s hands. The young alien held up his hand as if listening to something and then looked out of the high windows of   
Asgrad’s lab and said, “ did you see that?” he asked his two Guardians.  
  
“See what?” said Ruden and “and Merlyn…what is that!”  
  
“I thought I saw a Shadow of some sort move… when the lights flickered” Merlyn said “ it’s gone now” and they suddenly heard what sounded like a yell, Merlyn spun around and without another word was outside the door leaving behind a blur of blue light.  
  
Asgrad said “didn’t he say to take ** _notice_** when he started to glow blue?” and grabbed his portable medical kit and was out the door followed by Ruden.  
  
“But this is the _Citadel_!!!” Ruden said running after his friend, but even he knew that didn’t always necessarily mean that it was safe.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something unexpected happens in the Citadel!

Guided by Merlyn’s blue light they found Merlyn standing there still holding his blade or whatever it was and looking in some shock at what he saw.  
  
One of the Chancellery guard was lying dead in the street, his body with barely a mark on it and a terrified look on his face.  
  
“Merlyn!” said Asgrad running up to him “put your blade away before anyone sees!”.  
  
Merlyn looking a little stunned did so, just in time as several others joined him, looking shocked as Merlyn did, this was the _Citadel_!  
  
“He’s just dead...” Merlyn said a little stunned “I thought….”  
  
Asgrad examined him and then said “not if we are instantly killed and this young man definitely was. It looks like he was frightened to death” he frowned at the crowd “stand back!” he ordered as Ruden joined him.  
  
“What happened?” Ruden asked taking charge.  
  
“I saw a shadow…” Merlyn replied.  
  
Asgrad stood up “something killed this young man, outright, from what I can gather he was frightened to death and was instantly dead. Both hearts went into cardiac arrest at the same time and he was dead before he hit the ground, that can happen, I need   
to do a further analysis before I can conclude correctly but that seems to be what happened”.  
  
Ruden nodded “what _could_ do that?”  
  
Merlyn said, “I saw a shadow…I’ve seen something like this before, only it was much more violent”.  
  
“Pardon?” Ruden asked “your seen something like this before?”  
  
Merlyn nodded “yes!”  
  
Asgrad said “Everyone stand back from the body”.  
  
“But this is the Citadel! How is that possible!” someone asked.  
  
“Do as he asks!” Ruden said taking charge, and seeing he was obviously one of the Council he was obeyed.  
  
Asgrad said “I need to take the body back to my surgery and examine it Lord Ruden”.  
  
“You know the rules” Ruden said.  
  
“Yes, I do…but we need to examine it first” said Asgrad.  
  
“Very well Dr Asgrad” he said and to keep in character he turned to Merlyn “what did you see?”  
  
Merlyn who was plainly shocked now said “I saw a shadow!"  
  
“A shadow?” he asked.  
  
“Yes…it was gone before I could get close enough…and” he paused remembering his two Guardians advice to not make it obvious that he _wasn’t_ from Gallifrey “ he was just Dead!!”  
  
Ruden nodded fully **_Lord Ruden_** at the moment and then he said “Dr Asgrad take your assistant back to your surgery with the body, I will contact the High Council and inform them of the situation and come question you later”.  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden” said Asgrad “Quinawah fetch me a stretcher”.  
  
“Yes Dr Asgrad” Merlyn said falling easily into the role as Dr Asgrad’s assistant.  
  
“ _Behind the door in the surgery_ ” he added softly.  
  
Merlyn nodded and ran off, Dr Asgrad said “ everyone keep back from the deceased, we don’t want to spoil the evidence any more than we have to” wondering if he was going to have to explain regeneration and it’s limitations to Merlyn, probably, the boy  
had seemed genuinely shocked.  
  
“ _Explain it to him_ ” Ruden added softly “he _obviously doesn’t know, or at least not fully I am guessing it is something his parent didn’t fully explain to him_ ”.  
  
Asgrad said “very well”.  
  
Ruden said “everyone stand back the Council will find the underlying cause of this! Go back to your homes!” most of the people living around here weren’t Lords, most of them were Plebeians, workers and the like, which was a blessing in disguise.  
  
Dr Asgrad had chosen to live here and although Ruden had never understood it seeing he had the right to live somewhere more suited to his rank right now he was grateful that he had chosen to do so, if this had happened elsewhere…  
  
Asgrad had always said that seeing he was a medical doctor he had to be somewhere accessible, seeing he technically wasn’t a Time Lord and was of the Plebeian classes, it was better that he did so, Ruden sometimes suspected that Asgrad had _purposely_ failed to get to his Investiture.  
  
Merlyn came back with a stretcher obviously still a little stunned at the whole thing and helped Asgrad put the body on the stretcher.  
  
“I’ll go inform the Council” Ruden said “ Quinawah stay with Asgrad”.  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden” Merlyn said.

He nodded and walked off and Merlyn said, “where everyone go?”.  
  
“Lord Ruden sent them back to their homes” Asgrad replied “as you can guess things like this usually do not happen in the Citadel and the last thing the Council want is unwanted attention…”.  
  
“But hasn’t this happened before?” Merlyn asked, “I mean wasn’t a **_President_** assassinated or something?”.  
  
“You _know_ of that?” Asgrad asked.  
  
“Enough” Merlyn said “I mean I read about it…”  
  
Asgrad said “ Merlyn that is what we both mean…your knowledge is not complete or accurate, but you know more than you are telling and that is why we both know that you are no spy, because you reveal things like that without meaning to or realise that  
you have…a spy would not do that, yes a President was assassinated but something like that hasn’t happened for years”.  
  
Merlyn said “but don’t well…don’t you have troublemakers? You know like the Outsiders and that?”  
  
“This is _Gallifrey_ Merlyn” he said “things like that usually don’t happen _inside_ the Citadel and usually troublemakers are expelled outside the Capitol before they can do any real damage” he led them back to his residence and opened the door to the surgery  
“there is a lot you don’t know or half know, and I am with Ruden on that one it is a shame we have to send you home… because, like Ruden I would sponsor you as well, you are half us and you should know more about who you come from. The people you   
are part of”.  
  
Merlyn looked at the dead body “how come he’s just dead?”  
  
Asgrad said “what do you know about that?”  
  
Merlyn said “that we have the ability to cheat death…that we can regenerate. That you can _partially_ regenerate…which is why I am surprised that he is dead!”  
  
Asgrad said “one he’s a Plebeian and two we can’t regenerate if we are killed instantly, thus the assassinated president, and he wasn’t the only one who was assassinated around that time”.  
  
“But it was a Time Lord who did that” said Merlyn “wasn’t it?”  
  
Asgrad looked at Merlyn “how much do you _really_ know?”  
  
Merlyn looked down “I found it in the histories”.  
  
Asgrad shook his head and asked, “you haven’t been hacking into the Matrix, have you?”  
  
Merlyn looked at him “No…” he said.  
  
“Why _don’t_ I believe you?” Asgrad said, “I’ve _seen_ what you can do with a computer…”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I am just surprised that he is dead that’s all”.  
  
“Even we can die if we are killed instantly Quinawah” said a voice gently as Ruden joined them “and this is what happened in this instance…”.  
  
Asgrad said “surprised your back so soon”.  
  
Ruden said “I reported it, but they don’t seem to consider it a high priority”.  
  
“Someone just got **_murdered_** in the Citadel! And they don’t _consider_ it a **high **priority?” Asgrad said “no offence Ruden but sometimes I wonder where the Councils priorities lie!”  
  
Ruden said “sometimes I wonder the same, Asgrad. But don’t tell anyone I said that”.  
  
“It would have been different if it had been _one_ of you” said Asgrad, he ran a scan over the body “ as I thought, both hearts went into cardiac arrest at the same time the poor fellow was dead before he hit the ground, scared to death, by something he saw”.  
  
“What could do that?” Ruden asked.  
  
Merlyn looked thoughtful and then said, “I’ve seen this before…something similar, but it is a little worrying because it means something followed me though the Vortex”.  
  
They both looked at him as he stood there and Ruden said “go on”.  
  
Merlyn said “ as you both know I fell through the Vortex unprotected when the temporal engine on the **_Intrepid_** accidentally opened up whilst I was working on it, I’ve told you that much… but that is not what is all on the **_Intrepid_** ”.  
  
Ruden said “what _aren’t_ you telling us Quinawah?  
  
Quinawah looked uncomfortable and then continued “I didn’t mention it because I didn’t know!”  
  
“Go on” said Asgrad.  
  
Meryn sighed and looked at the body “I just didn’t think you could well. Just _die_ like that!”  
  
Asgrad said “it happens, it seems we need to explain a bit about Regeneration and Gallifreyan biology to you then, because it is _clearly_ something you are a little grey on”.  
  
Merlyn looked at the body “I wish I could heal him!” he seemed genuinely shocked and saddened at the Guards death “I didn’t _mean_ to bring something through the Vortex with me….”  
  
“Merlyn take a moment to conserve yourself and tell us what you know” Ruden said, using the name he preferred to use hoping to calm the obviously upset young alien.  
  
Merlyn looked at the body and a single tear ran down his face and it shone like a star it fell onto the body, glinted for a moment, and then vanished.  
  
“This wasn’t _meant_ to happen!” Merlyn said, “I _caused_ this to happen! I have to put it right!”  
  
Asgrad said “maybe we should question him some other time Ruden, he’s obviously quite distressed at the moment”.  
  
Ruden said “Merlyn you said yourself you didn’t know that something had followed you through the Vortex…this _isn’t_ your fault!”  
  
“But it is!” said Merlyn “he’s dead because of me!”  
  
“Merlyn it is not your fault that he is dead!” said Asgrad “he is dead because he was killed instantly! That can happen! We aren’t invulnerable or immortal! And something that makes both hearts stop at the same time is instantly fatal!”  
  
Merlyn looked at him “but”.

Ruden said “ explain the basics of regeneration and Gallifreyan anatomy with him Asgrad, you’re a Doctor you can explain it better, but Merlyn can you tell us where you have seen this before?”  
  
Merlyn said “on the _Intrepid_ , the crew was killed by some force we aren’t quite sure what it is yet, it seems to feed on your darker emotions like fear and lust and uses them to kill you” he sat down and looked sad “we thought it was a virus or something but   
we don’t think it is now. But whatever it was it killed the crew horribly…until… someone took a risk and overruled the computer. But we still don’t know what is on it…there are presences there that we can’t explain, the ships haunted. It went somewhere it   
never should have gone and what’s more it came back and bought something even more evil back”.  
  
Ruden said “go on, tell us what you know so I can report this to the Council hopefully we won’t have to get them to question you! This has obviously distressed you some” he had to admit he was surprised at how distressed Merlyn seemed about it, he had   
probably never seen death before.  
  
“I just didn’t think that Time Lords…well just _died_ like that” said Merlyn “it's kind of took me by surprise”.  
  
Asgrad said “we’re mortal too Merlyn”.  
  
Merlyn said, “no wonder you….” He trailed off again.  
  
Ruden frowned one day they were going to get Merlyn to reveal what he was trying to hide but now was not the time so he simply said to Asgrad “ explain to him the basics of regeneration and it’s limitations, and our anatomy and do a thorough examination of the body”.  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden” said Asgrad.  
  
Ruden nodded “Merlyn it wasn’t your fault…”.  
  
“Then _why_ do I feel like it was?” said Merlyn.  
  
Ruden said “you didn’t know something followed you through the Vortex” he felt like he was talking to a child at the moment and tried to make his voice more soothing, the death of the Guard had obviously distressed the young alien more than he thought it would.  
  
Merlyn said, “I apologise Lord Ruden…for my display of emotion it just took me by surprise that’s all…”.  
  
Asgrad said “ don’t feel bad about feeling bad when someone dies Merlyn, it’s when you stop caring that you start to worry…and sometimes I think the High Council forget that!”  
  
“They do I think” agreed Ruden “ we tend to after a while forget that” he nodded to Asgrad “ make sure he gets a good rest give him something to help him sleep if he needs it…I’ll be back tomorrow to get your report and maybe question Merlyn a bit more if he up to it, also maybe we should ask around to see if anyone saw anything”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “Very well Ruden”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I’ll go meditate a bit, unless you want me to assist you Dr Asgrad”.  
  
Dr Asgrad said, “I won’t say no but you are obviously distressed…”.  
  
“I’ll send a coroner around as well” said Ruden “do you have somewhere where you can store the um…body?”  
  
Dr Asgrad nodded “No I don’t, it really needs to go get a closer investigation I can do the basics…”.  
  
“Do you want me to send someone out tonight?”  
  
“That would be welcomed” said Asgrad.  
  
“Very well I will do so” said Ruden and then added “ explain to our young guest about regeneration and how it works he clearly doesn’t fully know, possibly his parent has not told him, maybe thinking it won’t happen to him”.  
  
“Possibly but I can confirm that it will… Merlyn is one of us, in just about every sense of the word” Asgrad said.  
  
Lord Ruden nodded “I know” and said “goodnight Quinawah”.  
  
Quinawah nodded and said “goodnight Ruden I ‘ll see you in your office tomorrow afternoon I have classes in the morning”.  
  
Lord Ruden said “I think I can take you out for a day. you can help in our investigations”.  
  
Merlyn looked thoughtful “I do have to hand in an essay to one of the Cardinals tomorrow…”.  
  
“Ok “said Ruden “I’ll get you after lunch” and left the house.


	11. Asgrads Dwelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asgrad explains a few things to Merlyn- Short Chapter

Once he was gone Asgrad made him and Merlyn the Gallifreyan equivalent of hot, sweet tea and said, “it’s ok Merlyn if you want to talk about it”.  
  
Merlyn looked at Dr Asgrad “I just didn’t expect him to die just like that Dr Asgrad.. it took me by surprise!”  
  
“You haven’t seen much death have you?” he asked.  
  
“No” said Merlyn “I’ve seen some our universe is at war…but I just didn’t expect a Time Lord to die like that!”  
  
Asgrad said “ one he _wasn’t_ a Time Lord, and two instantaneous death can even happen to us. Having two hearts is a Gallifreyan thing along with a few other things. We are close to human but we aren’t human, don’t ever make that mistake, but even   
something that stops both hearts at once can kill a Gallifreyan or a Time Lord straight out, with no chance of Regeneration. You probably don’t fully understand the process, which is probably understandable due to your background. But Merlyn I have been running a few tests on you, and I can tell you, you have the ability to regenerate too, I’m not sure how many times but you do have the ability to do so, so I’m following Ruden’s advice and will explain to you the basics of Regeneration”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I do?”  
  
“Yes” said Asgrad.  
  
Merlyn said “ I wasn’t sure if it would apply to us”.  
  
Asgrad said “it does, as I said I am not sure how many chances you have to do so, but you can. Due to your half breed status it might only be about half or it might not be and it might work somewhat differently to us as well”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “go on”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “ do you know how many lives a Time Lord has?”  
  
“13” said Merlyn.  
  
“Ok so you know _that_ then…wasn’t sure if you did or whether your knowledge was well. _Exaggerated_ , so you know that then. Ok what else do you know, and don’t give me whatever exaggeration you have been fed tell me what you _really_ know”.  
  
Merlyn said, “Regeneration happens if a Time Lord is either at the point of death or something happens that would prove fatal, but I am guessing that here you can choose to regenerate as well…which would be kind of weird…”.  
  
Asgrad chuckled “ to you it might be.. but believe me I’ve seen a few go through it and assisted even, this is Gallifrey after all go on”.  
  
“And there are several different ways of going about it… but it always involve a sort of light… an explosion, of some sort. Kind of like Dorenganza when they die, but we naturally glow anyway”.  
  
“Uh huh” said Asgrad “I can even show you some footage if you’re interested”.  
  
“What about you or Ruden?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Neither of us yet” said Asgrad.  
  
“Not _once_?”  
  
“No” he said, “ not yet for _either_ of us”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “ok…I was just surprised that he was just dead…that’s all”.  
  
“That happens sometimes” said Asgrad “ we aren’t invulnerable or immortal, and something that takes both hearts out at once can generally kill you straight out with no chance of regeneration. That is what happened to the Guard. If you are feeling up to it I  
can show you, and explain things a little better to you while I do my preliminary finds on the Guard, someone from the Coroners should be here soon".  
  
“But aren’t you _supposed_ to burn a body?”  
  
“Yes, but we have to identify him first and find out the cause of death first how you find that out?”  
  
“The Matrix” said Merlyn.  
  
“I forgot you’d been given some access to that” he said “ makes sense though”.  
  
“It’s general knowledge” said Merlyn.  
  
“Ok” he said “don’t hack into it” said Asgrad “ you’ll get caught if you do, I know and I’ve _seen_ what you can **_do_** with a computer so don’t be _tempted_ to …I don’t think Ruden knows that”.  
  
Merlyn said “ hasn’t someone done it before?”  
  
“I honestly can’t say”.  
  
“I think some other race did once or was it _another_ Time Lord..?” he looked thoughtful.  
  
“ _Merlyn_ …” Asgrad warned “if someone has done so, they wouldn’t tell us that”.  
  
Merlyn said “ I bet I _could_ though…but very well and yes I will help you”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “very well if you’re up to it. It will help you understand the people whom you are also of better”.  
  
“I just didn’t expect him to _die_ just like that that’s all” said Merlyn.  
  
Asgrad put a hand on his shoulder and said “ noone does but it does happen”.  
  



	12. The Academy-the next day.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day in the life of Merlyn at the Time Lord Academy. Merlyn makes some friends.

**M** erlyn walked through the halls of the Academy the next morning clad in his Arcalian robes that Ruden had gotten him, aware of the looks he was getting from some of his fellow students, no the background that they had constructed for him didn’t make him an object of ridicule and scorn but it did make him one of pity in many ways and had made him an outsider, so he hadn’t really made any friends but he didn’t really mind, years spent at the Jedaini Academy prepared him for that.  
  
He also suspected that there was a little jealously there as well, how he, the orphaned child of a renegade who hadn’t even been _born_ on Gallifrey! had somehow managed to score so high and gotten the attention of one of the High Council, loyal  
backbencher Lord Ruden might be, but he _was_ on the Council! Some of his fellow students wondered how he had managed that!  
  
Merlyn didn’t really mind the Time Lord academy, and in a way regretted that they had to find a way to get him off planet as soon as they could, he liked learning about them, Rastalin would hate it off course but he wasn’t Rastalin.  
  
Thinking of his brother bought a pang of sadness to Merlyn, his brother must think him dead and as he sat down at one of the desks in the lecture hall for one of his Quantum Physics classes and pulled out the picture of he and his brother he always carried  
“I’ll find my way back Rast don’t worry” he said softly “I always do”.

“Did you hear one of the Guard got murdered in the Citadel last night!” said a voice next to him he looked up as two other students came in one in Arcalian robes, the other in Prydonian.  
  
“How is that possible?” his companion asked.  
  
“No one knows but it’s got the Council confused!” the first speaker said.  
  
Merlyn had to smile it seemed that no matter where you went in the galaxy people around his age which a lot of them were equivalent to gossip was gossip even on the planet of one of the most advanced races that ever lived! He felt sad for a moment, sometimes he hated been from the future! He knew by now that he must be, but it made him wonder how _far_ from the future, was he? Gallifrey wasn’t a blasted ruin!   
  
It was **_still_** Gallifrey! And he suspected that he was here before he was even born!   
  
It was sometime **after** the fall of Borusa but it was also some time **before** the Time Wars, so _when_ exactly was he regarding Gallifrey’s history? he wondered if he could hack into the Matrix to find out and get away with it.

  
He’ d done a bit of sifting around in there but hadn’t gone to deeply, but had concluded he probably could but the thing that was holding him back was **dare** he? And _could_ he get away with it?   
  
“What you think Quinawah?” a voice suddenly said, making him jump as he had been lost in his thoughts and didn’t realise that the two students who had been talking had sat down near him and one of them was talking to them.  
  
“Um what?” said Merlyn.  
  
“About the murder? “he asked.  
  
“I…” Quinawah said “err sorry I didn’t realise you were talking to me”.  
  
“Obviously” he said with a smile, Merlyn noticed that he was the one dressed in Arcalian robes.  
  
“I’m not used to it I admit” said Merlyn “I’m too new…”.  
  
“So, they put you into Arcalian ?’ he asked.  
  
“Lord Ruden my Guardian said I was more suited to Arcalian then I was to Prydonian… he’s Prydonian”.  
  
“I know Lord Ruden” said the other one, “everyone is wondering how you managed to get the attention of one of the High Council!”  
  
“Because I’m the orphaned child of a _renegade_?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Yes, amongst other things” he said.  
  
“It seems to me you need some friends” said the Arcalian “I’m Donas and this is my friend Trianus”.  
  
Merlyn said “Quinawah as you know”.  
  
Donas nodded “I know, everyone knows who you are Quinawah”.  
  
Merlyn sighed “I know…”.  
  
Donas said “so what do you think of what happened in the Citadel?”  
  
Merlyn said “I’m surprised it happened… I thought the idea of the Citadel was to keep stuff like that from happening!!!”  
  
Trianus said “it’s happened before…just not often. The rumour is that Lord Ruden saw it happen? Seeing he was the one that reported it”.  
  
“How do you know?” Merlyn asked.  
  
Trianus looked around furtively and put a finger to his lips “we’ll talk about this later, Cardinal Damis just walked in and you know how he feels about us not paying attention in his class!”  
  
Merlyn had to smile “it seems that no matter where you go… somethings always remain the same”.  
  
Donas said “meet us outside later and we’ll discuss it” and turned their attention back to their teacher.  
  
Asgrad had told Merlyn not to turn down offers of friendship if offered, but to be wary “ _you are going to need some allies Merlyn so don’t turn down an offer of friendship if it is offered_ ” Asgrad had told him “ _just be wary of you unusual circumstances, and  
don’t give away the fact that you’re not only Gallifreyan, but you are partially something else as wel_l”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “ _I guess_ ”.  
  
Asgrad had said and Ruden had agreed with him “ _you are going to need friends whilst you are here_ ”.  
  
Donas sat next to Merlyn “if you need any help with some of this stuff let me know,” he said, “mathematics is kind of my specialty”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I notice you always score the highest in the quizzes he gives us”.  
  
Donas said “it runs in the family…I’m glad you decided to join the Arcalian Chapter”.  
  
Merlyn said “Lord Ruden said it was the one I was best suited to…”.  
  
He nodded “I think so too, I might score highest but your never far behind me! What confused me though is **how**! You weren’t born here, where were you born again?”  
  
Merlyn was about to say Saris 4 but then remembered that Ruden had told him to say he had been born on Earth.  
  
“Earth” he replied.  
  
“Sol 3?” Donas asked amazed.  
  
Merlyn nodded “Earth, or Sol 3, as you know it. Earth in Australia”.  
  
“Where the _humans_ live?” Trianus asked.  
  
“Yes” said Merlyn “where the humans live. Child of a renegade I might be, but my education wasn’t neglected and I’m a Jedaini Apprentice, we get one of the best educations in the Galaxy. I mightn’t be quite up to the level you are all here, but it wasn’t neglected”.  
  
Trianus said “you’ll have to tell us more about it, most of us barely ever get a chance to leave Gallifrey or even the Citadel for that matter”.  
  
Donas nodded “yes”.  
  
“We’re getting glared at” Merlyn added and so they were.  
  
“If the _three_ of you have something to discuss that is more important than my class, I would like you to share it” Cardinal Dimas said dryly.  
  
“ ** _Ouch_** ” Merlyn said to himself.  
  
“Not at all Cardinal Dimas” said Merlyn “we were discussing our essays, our apologies”.  
  
“Very well then” he said.  
  
“Thankyou” said Trianus.  
  
Merlyn nodded and said “as I said no matter where you go somethings never change” he put his reading glasses on.  
  
Donas and Trianus looked at each other, Quinawah was a mystery, not born on Gallifrey, but with enough knowledge and skills to match most of the student in their grade, even if he didn’t fully always get it right or his information was somewhat outdated  
or exaggerated, and now he had even added to the mystery that surrounded him claiming that he had been born on Sol 3 and had grown up amongst humans, and what _was_ a Jedaini Apprentice?  
  
Merlyn turned his attention back to the Cardinal and paid attention to what he was saying.

“So, what is a Jedaini apprentice?” Trianus asked Merlyn as they wandered around the quadrangle during one of their rest periods.  
  
Merlyn said “I really don’t understand why you all live under a dome when there is a **_huge_** planet out there! Unexplored in an area, without much greenery to speak of…that is something I do not understand”.  
  
Trianus said “it’s always been that way…to be cast out is well something to be afraid of”.  
  
Merlyn said “I know that is what everyone keeps telling me, but I don’t understand why? Most planets if the populace lives under a dome like this it’s because there is a problem with the environment, like the airs not good or something. Lunar city on Earth’s moon is under a geo dome because there is no air on it as an example, you just seem to well want to lock yourselves away from the world…and I don’t understand that. What made you do that? I mean people live outside the dome, but Time Lords seem to lock themselves away from all that what made you do that? Noone has been able to answer that question”.  
  
Donas said “you have to admit Trianus it is a good question”.  
  
Merlyn said “your planet it is _beautiful_! and yet you seem to have lost that ability to _see_ that. It is because I wasn’t born here maybe, I don’t know, but I don’t understand it, it’s like your disinfected yourselves”.  
  
Trianus said “I never really thought about it to be honest”.  
  
Donas said “he does have a point though”.  
  
“It’s like you are scared of what you will find” said Merlyn “ as I said I was born on Earth…” he pulled out something and turned it on and they all sat down and he showed them a picture of a blue world.  
  
“Earth” said Merlyn.  
  
“Sol 3” said Trianus.  
  
“Earth” said Merlyn “that is how I know it”.  
  
“It’s beautiful!” said Donas.  
  
Merlyn nodded “yes, it is, bet your never seen it?”  
  
“Pictures yes…but not like that” said Trianus.  
  
Merlyn said, “the continent I have it on at the moment is known as Australia, it’s where I was born.”  
  
“It’s an island!” said Donas.  
  
“Biggest island on the planet, smallest continent, also known as The Island Continent” Merlyn said, “it’s totally surrounded by water, which is something Gallifrey seems to lack somewhat…that much water”.  
  
“But humans though. You been bought up amongst humans?” Trianus said.  
  
“Well it is the race that we most resemble so it is easy to blend in” said Merlyn, hoping that his ears were well covered at the moment, he didn’t look quite human but his ears weren’t that obviously pointed either so it was easy to cover them with his hair and  
he looked human enough to pass as one under most circumstances, he had to admit though he was getting used to looking like this.  
  
“Humans are _amazing_!” said Merlyn.  
  
“But aren’t we well somewhat well… _superior_ to them?” Trianus asked.  
  
“Depends on what you class as _superior_ ” said Merlyn he looked up again as if sensing something, frowned and turned his tablet off.  
  
“What is a Jedaini apprentice?” Trianus asked.  
  
Merlyn said, “I mentioned that didn’t I?” he looked thoughtful “it’s a sort of Order I guess you could say, kind of like the sisterhood of Karn. But it is how I got most of my education” he shrugged “haven’t you ever you know wanted to go outside the dome though?”  
  
Donas said “I have been outside…but it was a while ago”.  
  
Trianus said “it had crossed my mind; I admit I was born under the dome”.  
  
“Well let's _sneak_ out then!” Merlyn said with a grin.  
  
Trianus said “you _can’t_ be serious!!!”  
  
Merlyn said, “yes I am”.  
  
Donas chuckled “I’m up for that!”  
  
“How do you intend to do that?” Trianus said.  
  
“I have an idea how we might” said Merlyn “give me a couple of days”.  
  
Trianus said “keep it quiet though…I thought we were going to talk about the death”.  
  
Donas nodded “ Quinawah what is your opinion on it?”  
  
“What makes you think I know anything about it?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Well Lord Ruden is your Guardian, I thought you might” said Trianus.  
  
Merlyn went silent as he thought about it, how much should he reveal? And then said, “I saw it, well not exactly _saw_ it…but I saw it just after it happened”.  
  
“You _did_!” Trianus gasped “see I told you Donas he would know about it”.  
  
“How does _everyone_ know that Lord Ruden is my Guardian?” Merlyn asked then.  
  
Donas said “ you’re a stranger here Quinawah, people have noticed that Chancellor Ruden seems to take an unusual interest in you, not to mention he asked that you be allowed to assist him on his personal project, also you’re in with us and most of us are   
hoping that someone on the High Council will ask us to assist them with their research or something once we finish our exam, as part of our service to Gallifrey to become full Time Lords. You stood out because you’re a stranger here and Chancellor Ruden specifically asked for you.”  
  
“Oh” said Merlyn.  
  
Trianus nodded “uh huh, so what do you know?”  
  
Quinawah said “err how much time have we got left on our rest period?”  
  
“Study time remember?” said Donas “as long as we like, tell us what you know”.  
  
They walked back into the Academy again, no one took much notice of them two students of the Arcalian Chapter and one of the Prydonian and found themselves a study area and found a quiet corner and sat down.  
  
“What do you know?” Trianus asked.  
  
Merlyn pulled out his books and said “I really should be writing that essay for my Laws of Time class, I’m so _behind_ in that it isn’t funny! Not to mention Lord Ruden wants me to write one too, not to mention study my Gallifreyan!”  
  
“But you speak Gallifreyan fine!” said Donas.  
  
Merlyn shook his head “no I don’t…translators make me sound like I do” he sighed “born on Earth remember to renegade parents?”  
  
“you could have fooled me” said Donas.  
  
“The city is full of translators like you find in a Tardis, it makes me sound like I am speaking Gallifreyan perfectly but I’m not”.  
  
“What do you know?” Trianus asked.  
  
“Not a lot really… Dr Asgrad is Chancellors Ruden’s friend, he lives in one of the residentials areas of the city where a lot of workers live, those of the Plebeian class, I’ve been staying with him as I don’t really have anywhere else to go, Lord Ruden, Asgrad  
and I were all in Asgrads residence last night and I was doing an experiment for my chemistry class. And Lord Ruden had stopped off to drop me off my robes when the lights flickered and I saw something like a flash from the corner of my eye and then  
moments later we heard the yell, I ran outside but I was too late the Guard was already dead? “  
  
“You sound surprised” Trianus said.  
  
“Well I was! I wasn’t expecting to find him dead! I thought…well, I didn’t think we just died like that”.  
  
Trianus looked surprised “you didn’t know about that?”  
  
“No!” said Merlyn “well not fully”.  
  
“You didn’t know about regeneration and it’s limitations?” Trianus asked.  
  
“ _NO_! born on Earth remember?” Merlyn said, “he was just dead!”  
  
“That must have been a shock to you then” said Donas.  
  
Merlyn nodded “it was more of a surprise! Dr Asgrad had to explain it to me in better detail, I feel a little um. Ashamed”.  
  
Trianus said “how could you _not_ **know**?”  
  
Merlyn said “born on Earth remember, I knew about regeneration I just didn’t think we died like that, straight out and that’s what happened. He was frightened to death!”  
  
“He was” said Trianus.  
  
Merlyn nodded “yes” the lights flickered and Merlyn looked up and tried to follow the pattern and wondered if the being that had killed the Guard was hanging around and was connected to him, he still felt that it was but the light just stopped flickering after  
a while.  
  
“So, you didn’t know about regeneration” Donas asked.  
  
“No, I knew about it I just didn’t think it was possible to die just like that, it took me kind of by surprise to just see him dead like that”.  
  
“It can happen.” said Donas.  
  
“Dr Asgrad explained it to me” said Merlyn the lights flickered again “did you see that?”  
  
“The lights do that sometimes Quinawah” said Donas.  
  
“No, there is something odd about them”.  
  
“Your just jumpy” said Donas.  
  
“The lights flickered before the Guard was murdered” Merlyn said.  
  
Trianus said “the lights flicker sometimes; the Academy is old” he stood up and stretched and sat back down.  
  
Merlyn looked unconvinced but sat back down himself and said, “I still think it’s something more”.  
  
Trianus shrugged and said “ so what else can you tell us about the murder?”  
  



	13. Ruden’s office- later that day.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlyn gets to meet someone else he never expected to meet!

“it is good that you are making friends Quinawah just be careful what you reveal to them” Ruden said to him as he looked at Merlyn’s essay that he had written for one of his classes “ very sound theory…unusual though, the void at the middle of the universe surrounded by what you state as planar worlds and the rest of the multiverse. Sound theory but highly irregular, but possible. Interesting though”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I won’t be laughed out of the class?”  
  
“No but it definitely will raise some eyebrows” he said, “and your 3d Model of it is very well done, I’m impressed”.  
  
Merlyn said, “well the question was _theoretical_ ”.  
  
Ruden laughed “I can imagine, most of us wouldn’t quite have the imagination to come up with such a theory actually”.  
  
Merlyn shrugged “another thing I have noticed…you seem to value science over everything else”.  
  
“We do” said Ruden “which is why my research project isn’t considered a priority, to esoteric I think but still I have got some good news to share, we have been given permission to go out and explore those fluctuations we found when running those co-ordinates and report what we find in case it is something we should watch”.  
  
“You did?” Merlyn asked.  
  
Ruden nodded “I have gotten permission to take you out with me, tomorrow to have a look at it, so we’ll be leaving pretty early in the morning, I’m taking Asgrad with me as well, a Tardis is ideally meant to be piloted by six, but I can fly it well enough on my   
own and Asgrad”.  
  
“Asgrad _knows_ how to fly one?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Of course, he does! We all get training in it, although I strongly suspect that Asgrad purposely failed his last exam or said he did” Ruden said, “so make sure you get a good night’s sleep it’s probably going to be a long day tomorrow”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I will... but is my essay fit enough to be handed in?”  
  
“Probably needs a little more polish but you should be able to hand it in, not sure about the reaction you’re going to get though” he said, “as I said it is a shame, we have to get you home as I would have happily sponsored you all the way to get your investiture and as to getting you home, we’re still working on that”.  
  
Merlyn said “I figured it would take a while seeing you also have to work out where I’m from! Or when!”  
  
Ruden looked at him “it’s more like a how”. You did fall through the Vortex; we need some way to get you back through the vortex and with enough of an anchor, so you don’t end up somewhere else”.  
  
Merlyn said, “my brother probably thinks I’m dead”.  
  
Ruden said “we will get you home Quinawah it’s just going to take some time; people generally don’t fall through the Vortex unprotected and survive! It’s even dangerous for us to do that!”  
  
“Yet I did it” said Merlyn.  
  
“Exactly” said Ruden “we are trying to lock onto this _Intrepid_ you speak of and use it as an anchor to get you back seeing that that is what caused you to end up here in the first place!”  
  
Merlyn said, “good luck with that, it has been places it never should have gone!”  
  
“Which is why I think we are having trouble finding it” he said.  
  
“So, what do you want me to do today?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“I’m due in council for a few hours to talk about the murder. so, work on your essay, polish it up a little we’ll look at it when I get back and then you can hand it in” he said.  
  
“Ok Lord Ruden” Merlyn said.  
  
He nodded and picked up something and said, “I trust you to remain in my office and not do anything you _shouldn’t_?”  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden” said Merlyn.  
  
He nodded “check my data map every so often to make sure it is still running and finish your essay”.  
  
“Will do “said Merlyn.  
  
Ruden nodded and left the office leaving Merlyn to himself, Merlyn looked at his essay for an hour or so and polished it up the best he could and then looked at the Terminal he was working on, _dare he_?   
  
He knew he could do it he just had to be careful he wasn’t caught, Merlyn enjoyed a challenge and he knew he could do it he knew it was a virtual world he had done some studying into it, but they didn’t count on someone been a natural interfacer.  
  
He wondered how long Ruden would be and whether he’d have to time to go in for a quick look, he’d done it before, he decided it was worth a go so he logged in with his student access, as that would show up and he was allowed to do that and it would  
remain thus, steady , his Icon wouldn’t show up, his interfacing Icon was almost like a virus but couldn’t be picked up as one as it shadowed over everything, his interfacing icon was in effect an extension of himself.  
  
“Let’s see now…” he said thoughtfully as he poked around in the outer layers of the Matrix, there were all **_sorts_** of stuff in there, all sorts of protections which made sense, the place was protected by ghosts, ghosts of dead Timelords but none of them had   
really been able to affect him as yet, maybe because of his natural ability to interface with any computer or maybe it was because he hadn’t even been _born_ yet!, but the guardians seemed to think he was one of their own so they let him through or at least   
the ones in the outer layer, Merlyn suspected that it was his talent to interface was so unknown on Gallifrey that it wasn’t recognised, his system avatar here looked like a Time Lord ghost, much like the others inside there so he came to the conclusion that   
they thought he was one of them, which meant he could probably get in deeper with some time.  
  
He sifted around for a while and downloaded a couple of things and looked up as his senses warned him of Ruden’s return, and he was with someone…who felt well like Merlyn should _know_ him… he quickly logged out and switched his access back to his  
student access but left his icon up, it covered his browsing history and stopped people from trying to hack into him.  
  
Ruden opened the door of his office he was with another member of the Council whom judging by his robes was higher ranked than Ruden was and then he recognised the robes from his reading this was the High Chancellor himself… Lord High Chancellor Xanian!  
  
Wow! Thought Merlyn, he had expected the High Chancellor to be an older man, dry, and a little like most of the Cardinals were, but he looked around Ruden’s age, he looked at Merlyn with some interest in his dark blue eyes which were lively and full of what looked like good humour.  
  
Merlyn expecting to be dismissed met his gaze and then said, “if you want Lord Ruden I can leave and go study somewhere else, perhaps the library or something”.  
  
Ruden said “ High Chancellor Xanian this is my research assistant and my unofficial ward I guess you could call it, Quinawah Firesong, Quinawah this is Lord High Chancellor Xanian, he is here about the murder”.

“The High Chancellor! But I thought you said….”.  
  
“I was the one who took Ruden’s call last night” he said, “and regardless of what the rest of the Council thinks it seems to me it should be taken more seriously, I am acting on my own at the moment” his voice was low pitched and pleasant.  
  
“But **you’re** the High Chancellor!!!” said Merlyn.  
  
“I still think we have gotten to complacent and I am trying to convince the others of that…I also fairly newly elected to the position and I intend to make some changes” he removed his collar and hat and shook out shoulder length naturally white hair.  
  
“But that’s…your nothing like I expected the High Chancellor to be like!” said Merlyn.  
  
“Xanian is an old mentor of mine as well” said Ruden…” although I didn’t think it was you who answered my call last night High Chancellor I admit I was a little distracted at the time”.  
  
Xanian nodded “understandable as I said I am fairly newly elected to the position, and we need to be a little more active than what we are!” he sat down “the others do not think this is a matter of importance but I do…” he looked at Merlyn “Quinawah, Lord   
Ruden tells me you know something about this…care to tell me?”  
  
“You have the ear of the _President_!” Merlyn said awed.  
  
Ruden said “forgive Quinawah, High Chancellor, he is the child of a renegade and has only recently arrived on Gallifrey after been bought up on Sol 3 all this time”.  
  
 _“Indeed? Earth_?” said Xanian “you _know_ the council’s standing on renegades…”  
  
“Which is why I have taken him under my care, he arrived in a rather unexpected matter and has no recollection of how he came to be where he was, he says his parents are dead…killed in an accident or something…which he has little recollection of” Ruden   
said “I do know the Councils standing on renegades so I took him under my care seeing I am of low rank and I and my friend Doctor Asgrad were the ones who found him. I am entrusting you with this information because I know you will be _discreet_ about it”.  
  
Xanian nodded as Merlyn got them all some tea and poured them all it, acting in the role of perfect research assistant.  
  
“And you took him on as your assistant?” Xanian asked.  
  
Ruden nodded “His education is incomplete, due to his upbringing, but he is not ignorant his education whilst incomplete and somewhat inaccurate and outdated has not been neglected and he is surprisingly more knowledgeable than I would have   
thought possible. Which explains his high grades and why I have become his mentor and have taken him on as my assistant, whoever his parents were they didn’t neglect his education they just didn’t entirely cover everything!”  
  
“I see” said Xanian, he turned to the youth, who regarded him with some awe but no fear, his eyes were blue too, but they glinted like stars in some lights, “Sol 3…?”  
  
“Earth, I know it as Earth” Merlyn replied, “it was my home for so long”.  
  
“What do you know of the murder?” he asked.  
  
“I saw a shadow” he replied “the lights flickered, and I saw a shadow, I heard a cry, and I ran out to see what it was and there was the guard lying dead in the street! Without a mark on him although he had been frightened to death!” he looked sad for a   
moment “I didn’t think that was possible!”  
  
“You _didn’t **know**_ ” High Chancellor Xanian asked.  
  
“No” said Merlyn “I knew... it just took me by surprise that’s all!”  
  
“But your parents”.  
  
“Like I said he had little or no recollection of what happened to them… we suspect that they were simply wiped out of time and possibly partially memory, especially considering how Quinawah arrived here on Gallifrey”.  
  
“And how was that?”  
  
“I didn’t think you wanted me to tell people that?” Merlyn said.  
  
“I don’t, not usually, but this is the Lord High Chancellor Quinawah”.  
  
“So, it is _ok_ to tell him?”  
  
“Yes” said Ruden.  
  
Quinawah looked unconvinced but said “I fell through the space and Time Vortex unprotected and survived”.


	14. The Citadel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlyn makes an unexpected new friend!

“You fell through the…and survived?” High Chancellor Xanian asked astounded.  
  
“Yes” said Ruden “ he had shut himself down but he survived , it seems Gallifreyan anatomy proves it’s superiority again, It just proves that although we _look_ human…we are not, which is why I suspect Quinawah’s parent has been simply wiped from time or   
memory, he is an enigma, a conundrum and I suspect from the future” he looked thoughtful “from what he does recall it seems he was exposed to a rather large time anomaly, a temporal engine perhaps that has caused a crack in time maybe which is why he can’t fully recollect what happened”.  
  
Merlyn had to admit Ruden was making an odd kind of sense…things like that could and did happen, and well the Lord High Chancellor seemed to be buying it.  
  
“I’m surprised that it is you High Chancellor that has taken an interest in it” Ruden said “no one else seems to have taken an interest in it”.  
  
He waved a hand “I am acting on my own, so tell me what did happen?”  
  
Ruden said “As young Quinawah said. I was visiting Dr Asgrad seeing he is a friend of mine and the lights flickered and Quinawah saw a shadow and ran outside and we found the young man dead”.  
  
Xanian nodded “the report says cardiac arrest instantly causing death, and that the victim has no mark on him but all evidence of simply been frightened to death, most mysterious”.  
  
“Something attacked his mind” said Merlyn then “he saw something that was his greatest fear and he simply died because of it…I’ve seen something like this before…. before I ended up here and I fear it may have followed me through the vortex”.  
  
“Something followed you through the vortex?” he asked.  
  
“That is what Quinawah fears” said Ruden he looked at something on his computer as what sounded like an alarm went off…” oh not now! “Ruden groaned “be right back!!!”  
  
“What happened?” Xanian asked.  
  
“Power surge! Back soon, Quinawah answer any questions the Lord High Chancellor asks you as truthfully and as correct as you can I will be back” said Ruden.  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden” said Merlyn.  
  
Ruden nodded and left the office and once he was gone oddly enough the Lord High Chancellor nodded and smiled a little and then said “that should give us an hour whilst they see what caused it. They’ll run around for a bit trying to work it out before they realise that it was nothing they can find”.  
  
“Pardon…Lord High Chancellor” Merlyn said.  
  
He held up a device and nodded to the door and suddenly Merlyn got what he meant and looked stunned at him.  
  
“You are not the _only_ one who has a few tricks up your sleeves young one” he said with a slight smile he indicated Merlyn’s computer, “just don’t get caught... and you really _must_ tell me how you manage to get around the Matrix’s inbuilt protections…”.  
  
“Err…” said Merlyn.  
  
“Come with me I will leave a message for Ruden that I took you for a walk with me, so you could tell me what you _really_ saw…so tell me Quinawah Firesong, what did you really see and tell me who you _really_ are”.  
  
“ _Ummm_ ” said Merlyn realising that the Lord High Chancellor had planned all of this “I’m not a spy”.  
  
“We know that” he said, “but you are more than what you seem, and you know more than what you are telling”.  
  
“We…?” Merlyn wondered if that was because he was part of the inner circle.  
  
High Chancellor Xanian chuckled “you think Lord Ruden and Dr Asgrad are the _only_ ones that know you are here..or saw you arrive?”  
  
“Err yes”.  
  
“Believe me they are not…you were not unnoticed young one, _other_ eyes saw you arrive as well and are as interested in you as Ruden is, you are a conundrum” he stood up “come with me and tell me what you really know and how you really got here!” he led him out of the office pulling out his device and making a couple of adjustments to it, “that should give us more time”.

“ _Other eyes_?” Merlyn asked getting up and following him out, getting a few odd looks from another student, when the saw who he was with!  
  
The Lord High Chancellor also noticed this and said, “back to work…this is _**not** _your affair”.  
  
“Yes, Lord High Chancellor” he said.  
  
“I’m not at liberty to tell you _whom_ I mean…but believe me, your arrival did not go unnoticed” he said.  
  
“The President saw me?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“No,” he said.  
  
“But **_you’re_** the ears and eyes of the President!”  
  
“True I am…but what you tell me will remain with me” he said.  
  
“I’m still seen as a threat to Gallifreyan society?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“No…but you are a puzzle a conundrum, a _mystery_!” he said leading him away “so tell me what you know, what you saw and who you actually are…do not leave anything out”.  
  
“Err” said Merlyn.  
  
“Start from the beginning tell me how you ended up here” he said.  
  
“Ruden was telling the truth and so was I…well _mostly_ …”.  
  
“Go on” he said leading them to a secluded alcove.  
  
“You really need some more greenery in this city… it’s kind of drab” said Merlyn “grand of course but kind of _boring_ ”.  
  
Xanian had to smile at the comment, part of him felt the same, “let me start then. My Name is Xanian, I’m newly elected to this role although I had to step over a few toes to get here, but that is what I wanted, we are stagnating and I fear that is going to be  
our destruction if we don’t do anything about it, our society has survived for a long time…but we are going stagnant getting too complacent, to confident in our arrogance…”  
  
“You _don’t_ agree with the non-interference rule?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“I understand why it is in place and I agree with some of the aspects but not all…I am hoping I can make some changes. or at least set some in motion…”.  
  
“Your one of the ones who get **_inspire_ d**!!!” said Merlyn.  
  
“So, it seems you have been doing some studying …” he said “ Quinawah who are you…”.

Quinawah went silent for a moment not sure how much he should reveal especially to the Lord High Chancellor himself!  
  
Xanian nodded “cautious I see…very well I can accept that, so I will ask you some questions…, you do not fully trust me yet”.  
  
Quinawah looked at him “I just have been told to not reveal too much and I am not sure how much I should. Given that we are Time Lords…and Time is not the boss of us”.  
  


He nodded” I understand…you are both smart and cautious, you are _not_ from this world are you …or possibly even this universe, but you are one of us , but you are also something else aren’t you? You’re not fully Gallifreyan are you?”  
  
Merlyn looked at him in surprise and asked, “what makes you think that?”  
  
Xanian said “well your _glowing_ for one!”  
  
Merlyn looked at himself and saw that he was glowing his normal soft silvery-white, he was so used to the natural but subtle Dorenganza glow, that he sometimes forgot that others could see it too in some light, he didn’t notice it.  
  
“Err yeah I forgot about that”.  
  
“What are you?” Xanian asked “there are rumours, legends, about beings such as you, part us, part something else…your something else isn’t human though is it?”  
  
Merlyn said “um…”.  
  
“Its _alien_ isn’t it? you’re not from this universe, are you? So, who are you and where do you come from? “  
  
Merlyn looked down “I was told not to speak of it…Ruden said so”.  
  
“He _also_ told you to answer any question I asked” he said.

“Probably didn’t expect you to ask about my origins or even realise them!”  
  
Xanian nodded “you can tell me, “he looked out of the dome “you see it, too don’t you?”  
  
“See what?”  
  
“Our destruction…Gallifrey’s fall” he said, “you see it don’t you?”  
  
Merlyn said, “Lord High Chancellor I….”.  
  
“Xanian” he said.  
  
“Lord High Chancellor that would be most _disrespectful_ of me!” Merlyn said.  
  
Xanian said “Lord Xanian if you feel more comfortable with that, but your seen it haven’t you…you from the future, aren’t you?”  
  
Merlyn said “I have come to that conclusion yes and I am guessing so has Lord Ruden, I am from the future, but I don’t know how far I am from. It is possible I'm not _born_ yet!”  
  
Xanian nodded “whose child, are you? Which of your parents was a Time Lord, your mother or your father”?  
  
“I suspect my father, but I really don’t know who they were… I am not lying when I say I have no recollection of them. I am an orphan… I fell through the space/ time vortex whilst assisting an engineer friend of mine on a Temporal engine and ended up here…but my friend is not my parent. “  
  
“Your friend is a Time Lord though aren’t they?”  
Merlyn looked down but didn’t say anything more, but that was enough answer for Xanian.   
“You are also not from Sol 3, are you?”  
  
“No, I am from Saris 4” said Merlyn.  
  
“Saris 4?”  
  
“It’s a moon, the planet doesn’t support life”.  
  
“And where is this Saris four?”  
  
“In a parallel galaxy and universe” he replied, “I really shouldn’t be here”.  
  
“Yet you are” he said, “and that is worrying”.  
  
“I’m not a threat to Gallifrey!” said Merlyn “their trying to get me home!”  
  
“I didn’t say that you were a threat” he said, “that it was only worrying that you are from another universe and Time”.  
  
Merlyn said “I don’t know how much I should reveal…Time can be rewritten; I’m not supposed to be here! I am out of my own time and universe! And I am afraid that something…followed me through the Vortex!”  
  
“What?” he asked, “ this hasn’t happened in the Citadel for a long time and the fact that it has is worrying, and I am surprised that no one else on the council seems to think that it is a priority it’s why I am acting on my own in this” he stood up “help us  
Quinawah”.  
  
Quinawah said “as I said I saw a shadow. I was in Asgrad’s dwelling and we were just discussing my essay for one of my classes when the lights flickered, I started to glow blue and I saw a shadow”.  
  
“Glow blue? Ruden said you had a weapon, a sort of sword of light”.  
  
“it’s blue too,” Merlyn said.  
  
“You do _know_ that carrying weapons in the Citadel are forbidden, don’t you?” he asked, “unless you are one of the Chancellery Guard.”  
  
“Yes, I do know that and that it even applies to the Lords…but like I said I was in Asgrads dwelling, so I wasn’t carrying it with me”.  
  
He nodded “are you carrying it now?”  
  
“No” said Merlyn” but I glow blue when there is danger nearby…you are right my other side isn’t human it is alien”.  
  
Xanian looked at him and nodded and pulled out his device and checked it then nodding he put it away “what do you think killed the Guard?”  
  
Merlyn said “something came through the Vortex with me… and if it is what I suspect it is…I know how to destroy it. But I need to find it first.”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“I think it is some sort of corporeal presence, I know how to destroy it I think but I have to find it first”.  
  
Xanian looked thoughtful “how do you destroy it?”  
  
“With my light” said Merlyn “it is a creature of darkness".  
  
“Light?”  
  
Merlyn nodded and said “they call it holy fire. But really it is just the power of the stars” and spreading his hands a ball of pure white energy appeared in his hands, “my people have long been guardians of the universe, we have what is known as star stuff it is pure positive energy…”  
  
“And the creature is negative?” he asked.  
  
“More or less if feeds on fear, it is like a phantom, and is planar like I am”.  
  
“A ghost?”  
  
“Kind of… but made of Planar energy” he replied, “much like the other half of me is”.  
  
He nodded “I see, how do you find this creature?”  
  
Merlyn said, “it causes lights to flicker as it moves as I think that is how it moves around, I saw a shadow…but seeing it has fed it might be more corporeal now, it is like a shadow”.  
  
He nodded “that is all I needed to know, “he stood up “I am putting you and Lord Ruden on it to find it!”.  
  
“But wouldn’t this be more something for the Castellans or something?”  
  
“Normally it would be, but you know what you saw and what you are looking for, if you need help you only have to ask,” he said, “but Lord Ruden has to do that, not you”.  
  
“So, what do I do?”  
  
“Look out for the creature and keep working with Ruden on it, but right now we should head back as they will realise right about now it was a false alarm” he smiled slyly then, and Merlyn realised he could grow to like the Lord High Chancellor!

**T** hey walked back to Ruden’s office, Ruden was already there and his eyebrows rose as Merlyn and the High Chancellor joined him again, surprised that they were still together.  
  
“I take it you got the problem under control” Xanian said dryly.  
  
“High Chancellor! I…” said Ruden amazed “yes we did, seems it was a false alarm I am surprised to see you still here though!”.  
  
“Seems the systems need an overhaul” said Xanian “would you like me to pass that onto the President? Because we cannot risk the Matrix been breached again… although they seem to be trusting it less and less these days…” he paused.  
  
“Well only if you think it is necessary” said Ruden looking at Merlyn with a question in his eyes.  
  
“I will mention it” he remarked.  
  
“Did Quinawah answer all of you questions to the best of his ability?” Ruden asked “please forgive his knowledge Lord High Chancellor he hasn’t had the advantage of living on Gallifrey ….”.  
  
“And yet he _knows_ more than he probably _should_ for _someone_ not _**born**_ on Gallifrey…his presence has not gone unnoticed Lord Ruden” said Xanian “other eyes have seen him”.  
  
Ruden said “I hoped that they hadn’t! he is not a threat to Gallifrey but he doesn’t belong here on this world!”  
  
“No, he doesn’t” said Xanian “but yes he has been most forthcoming” and then he added “Ruden a word with you in private”.  
  
Ruden nodded “very well…Quinawah you may leave, I will join you soon, you know the way back to Asgrads home?”  
  
“Yes I do Lord Ruden” said Quinawah logging out of the computer and the Matrix and picking up his bag “I got an essay to polish up anyway and another experiment to run” and left the office.

Once he was gone High Chancellor Xanian said you have summoned **_Him_** to take him home?”  
Lord Ruden nodded “yes”  
  
Xanian nodded “I have granted the request…but there is one thing I have to ask of you, let me know when you get confirmation that he is near, so I can allow him to land unnoticed, he is a known renegade and all alarms will go off the moment he

approaches, and we can’t have that we need to get Quinawah Off world as discreetly as possible, I can override the alarms so he can land unnoticed and unharassed to get our young alien guest off Gallifrey quietly and discreetly”.  
  
“Very well High Chancellor” he said.  
  
Xanian nodded “I am putting you and your assistant onto the murder in the Citadel, Quinawah seems to know something about it so use his knowledge”.  
  
“Very well” said Ruden “I will do so.”  
  
High Chancellor Xanian nodded and turned to go “I will be in Touch Lord Ruden” and walked off replacing his headdress and collar as he did so.


	15. Chapter Fifteen-Ruden’s Tardis the next Day.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruden finds Merlyn's anchor to get him home.

Ruden led both Asgrad and Merlyn to his Tardis the next day through the personal Tardis landing bay and said to Merlyn “this is one of the bays that are used by those of the Council who have their own ships I was lucky to be able to get one for myself”.  
  
“Even though you're just a ‘ _Loyal Backbencher_?’ Merlyn asked looking around in awe he had never seen so many Tardis’s!  
  
Ruden chuckled and said, “my work it requires me to leave Gallifrey sometimes, my project is considered not that important, but I was still able to get my own ship…”.  
  
Merlyn nodded and looked around” I’m _impressed_ ”.  
  
Ruden said “No doubt you are…have to arrange to get you a tour through the maintenance shops one time seeing you have an interest in the field”.  
  
He led them to what looked like a pillar and nodded “here we are and no the chameleon circuit is not on…no real reason for it to be here”.  
  
Merlyn said, “so _that’s_ what they look like?”  
  
He nodded “if you have seen one, I am guessing the circuit was on”.  
  
Merlyn didn’t answer “I was curious what they looked like without the chameleon circuit activated”.  
  
Ruden nodded “Uh huh” so Merlyn _had_ seen a Tardis, his words had confirmed that, another reason he wasn’t a spy, he revealed things without realising it.  
  
“Type 75” said Ruden “getting a little outdated now but still good enough”.  
  
Merlyn nodded” I see”.  
  
He opened the door and said, “I am guessing I don’t have to explain to you why it is bigger on the inside”.  
  
“Trans dimensional technology” said Merlyn.  
  
“I _Thought_ not” said Ruden as he opened the door and let them in.  
  
Merlyn looked around with interest “default setting, you haven’t personalised it?”  
  
“Think he likes it like this…” Asgrad said with a smile “me however…if I had one…”  
  
“I don’t spend enough _time_ in it to really decorate” said Ruden.  
  
Merlyn said “pity” he’d never seen Ruden’s Apartment but going by Ruden’s office it was possibly minimalistic as it was! Asgrad’s was a bit more _lived in_ looking, not to mention he had a cat.  
  
“Help yourself to the food dispenser if you get hungry” he said, as he got clearance to leave and started up his ship.  
  
Merlyn made a face and Asgrad smiling pulled out the hamper he had packed and winked.  
  
Merlyn chuckled and said, “you’re a lifesaver!”  
  
Asgrad chuckled, nodded, and said, “the food dispenser is _hardly_ enough for a healthy teenager Lord Ruden”.  
  
Ruden said “it is good enough for me”.  
  
Asgrad rolled his eyes and said “I’m like Merlyn, I like a satisfying meal! So, I packed us a hamper!”  
  
Ruden said “I will never understand your love for _cooking_!”  
  
Asgrad said “I like to cook! It’s all nutritious of course…well _most_ of it”.  
  
Merlyn laughed at that, Asgrad and Ruden were total opposites but they got on regardless, he had to admit he had grown fond of his two Gallifreyan Guardians.  
  
“Sometimes I think you Council folk have forgotten how to have _fun_ and how to enjoy a satisfying meal”, Asgrad remarked.  
  
Ruden said “very well”.  
  
“Admit it Ruden you aren’t used to be around a _teenager_!” Asgrad said.  
  
“And **_you_** are?”  
  
“I’m a Doctor so yes I have had a bit more exposure to teenagers” he said.  
  
Ruden said “I don’t have much experience with teenagers I admit, most of them are attending the Academy when their Quinawah’s age”.  
  
“True” said Asgrad “we spend way too much educating our youth and not spending quality time with them well that is my opinion anyway! Why do you think Quinawah stands out so much! Because he’s had time spent with him, he’s been allowed to explore  
his imagination and allowed to ‘ _play_ ’ before we head back inside the Citadel tonight and if we have the time, I suggest we land outside it and let Quinawah look at the stars! And the two of us do the same!”  
  
“That is most. Irregular!” Ruden said.  
  
Asgrad said “you got into your personal project because you liked to look at other planets even though the rest of the Council consider it too ‘ _esoteric_ ’ to take too seriously. Sometimes I think you have forgotten that Ruden so take a time out and recapture at  
least an essence of **_why_** you started it in the first place”.  
  
“Very well” said Ruden, “Quinawah if you want to work on some of your essays there is a quieter room off the console room where you can sit and do so, we don’t really need more than one to fly this at the moment. Or you may watch and use the desk in here”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I’m interested in how to fly one so I will stay in here”.  
  
“Very well” said Ruden as Merlyn took the desk and pulled out his books and looked over the essay he had been polishing up.  
  
“Show Ruden your stasis cube art project” said Asgrad “seems you have a knack for it “.  
  
Merlyn looked up " I already have, it’s part of my Theoretical Universe project, I have to present it to the class when I am finished. I’ve been allowed extra time due to my ‘ _disadvantage of not been given a proper Gallifreyan education_’!” he said.  
  
“Oh” said Asgrad.  
  
Merlyn said, “I kind of enjoy it, stasis cube art”.  
  
Ruden said “that theory of yours is an interesting one, shows imagination and depth that a lot of us have lost, even if it is slightly _farfetched_ ”.  
  
Asgrad said “so you admit it!” he sat down next to Merlyn “ignore him. Merlyn”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I am more worried about been laughed out of class!”  
  
Asgrad said “you won’t be. Might get some raised eyebrows though”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “so Lord Ruden told me”.  
  
“it's one of the reasons why we need to get you home, you are so different to us and I would hate to see that light fade” said Asgrad.  
  
Merlyn said, “I don’t mind it so much, Gallifrey is in my blood too and I have enjoyed learning about the people I am half of”.  
  
Ruden said “here we go, a sight a lot of us don’t get to see” he opened his view screen and Merlyn saw the planet Gallifrey from space, Merlyn said “it kind of looks like Mercury or Mars, and quite a few other planets I can name”.  
  
“Mars?”  
  
“One of the planets in Sol 3’s system” said Asgrad “mind you there is some interesting Earth fiction taken on Mars…War of the Worlds comes to mind”.  
  
“Isn’t that where the Ice Warriors come from?” said Ruden.  
  
“Depends on _which_ Mars!” Merlyn said, “where I come from, Mars there are no Ice Warriors, just a lot of red sand, and an earth Colony, Aliens may have lived there once... but no longer”.  
  
“Oh” said Ruden.   
  
Merlyn looked at Gallifrey feeling tears come to his eyes, he had seen Gallifrey in a dream, but it had been a blasted ruin, he sighed and closed his eyes blinking the tears away.  
  
“Not many people get to see that” said Ruden, smiling as Merlyn pulled his camera out and shot some footage.  
  
“No. few do” Merlyn said softly.  
  
Asgrad joined him at the viewscreen ‘your half of that world too you know Merlyn”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I know”.  
  
Ruden said “we’re **_all_ **of that world, take all the time you need Merlyn”.  
  
Asgrad said softly “your seen something else…haven’t you. Another Gallifrey?”  
  
Merlyn said, “what makes you think that?”  
  
“We’re shared a house for several weeks remember not to mention some of the things you have hinted at or said”.  
  
“Dreams are Dreams, Dr Asgrad they don’t always mean something” said Merlyn “or entirely make sense”.  
  
“No but your seen something we haven’t” said Asgrad “don’t feel bad to admit that”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I just saw something, and I am afraid I can’t prevent it from happening”.  
  
Asgrad said “ ** _Time_ **can be rewritten Merlyn”.  
  
“Not this time” said Merlyn softly finishing taking his photos and sitting down again.  
  
“The Lord High Chancellor seemed rather taken by you Quinawah” Ruden said then “I trust you answered all the questions he had for you to the best of your ability”.  
  
“Yes, I did” said Merlyn “even if he did throw a couple of curveballs at me”.  
  
“Curveball?” Ruden asked.  
  
“Sorry human expression, it refers to a game called Baseball, which involves hitting balls with a bat that are pitched on a curve well at least it does on Earth. Saris four however it involves a game played in low gravity in an indoor court that is curved, and the idea is to avoid the ball or catch it! Lots of fun and us Jedaini are great at it, people hate playing it with Jedaini! but the expression originated on Earth…it means, asking a couple I wasn’t expecting”.  
  
“Oh” said Ruden.  
  
“Lord High Chancellor!” said Asgrad “The _Lord High Chancellor Xanian_!”  
  
“He was the one who answered my call the other night in the Citadel I was preoccupied at the time and didn’t realise it was him, but he was asking about the incident in the Citadel the other night, it seems he and Quinawah got on rather well” Ruden said.  
  
“You said that no one took any notice of it” Asgrad said with a frown.  
  
“Seems I was wrong” said Ruden.  
  
“You do _realise_ that means the Inner Council now knows about Merlyn!” said Asgrad.  
  
Ruden said “seems they already did…” he looked at his readouts and then continued “so what did you think of the High Chancellor Quinawah?”  
  
“He’s not what I expected him to be like at all” said Merlyn.  
  
“Oh? How is that?”  
  
“I expected him to be like a lot of the Cardinals at the Academy!” Merlyn said.  
  
Ruden chuckled “I should pull you up on that one Quinawah for been so disrespectful! but as I said to Xanian, to forgive your manner, you were not born on Gallifrey. As I said, Lord High Chancellor Xanian is an old mentor of mine as well and I fully support him. Although he is considered something of a radical due to his ideas, but to be honest and don’t tell anyone I said this, he is **_exactly_** what the Inner Council _need_!”  
  
Asgrad said “I have never met him to be honest, but I do support him too, he’s fairly new to the role though”.  
  
Merlyn said, “oddly enough, I felt like well I should know him…”.  
  
Ruden said “Oh?”  
  
“It’s like I have met him before….” Merlyn said, “but I can’t remember how that could be possible!”.  
  
Ruden said “maybe he reminds you of your Time Lord friend, or possibly a long-forgotten memory of some kind…”.  
  
Merlyn said “ _Mmmm_ ” but wouldn’t add anymore “isn’t this where your coordinates were?”  
  
Ruden nodded at the non-committal answer, they were still having trouble getting Merlyn to open more about his past.  
  
“Yes” he said.  
  
“There isn’t anything there…” said Merlyn with a frown “just stars”.  
  
Ruden nodded “that’s what I thought but this is where that anomaly was, but it kept changing remember…”.  
  
Merlyn frowned “that’s odd…are the stars, right?”  
  
“Yes” he said.  
  
Merlyn said, “I think some of this might be tied into me, and the **_Intrepid,_** I _might _be the Time Anomaly, the creature is only here because I am, and I do not belong here in this time or this universe”.  
  
Ruden looked at Merlyn in some surprise, he hadn’t expected the young alien to say that!   
  
“What makes you think that?” said Ruden.  
  
Merlyn said “I’m half Gallifreyan, half something else, I might be causing the Time Anomaly, I’m either a nexus point or Chancellor Xanian is or maybe we both are. It was like I was supposed to know Lord Xanian… but I think we have found where the Intrepid has been…or _will_ be. “  
  
Ruden looked at Merlyn in amazement “how have you come to that conclusion?” he asked.  
  
“Well the figures kept changing” said Merlyn “we couldn’t get a fix on it remember? I’ve done some analysis and I think that I might be the Temporal Anomaly, or it is centred around me. I fell through a Temporal engine remember. Whilst working on it, which  
was on the Intrepid, which had a Temporal engine, it couldn’t travel in time well not originally, but it was made to wrap space around it, and travel across the universe, but it fell through time or something, I think this was where it ended up or where it will   
end up, but it is haunted as well… so maybe it more like a where it will end up.”  
  
“Merlyn you not making a lot of sense” Asgrad remarked then.  
  
“No, he is” said Ruden, he looked at Merlyn “go on how have you come to this conclusion?”  
  
Merlyn said “I’ve been doing some research for my theoretical universe project and I came across some older research papers in the Matrix dealing with anomalies and the like. I think I may be the Anomaly because I am out of my time and place, not to   
mention my universe”, he paused “ this is where the Intrepid ends up possibly but not yet…”.  
  
“Merlyn” said Ruden.  
  
“It fits” said Merlyn, “the shadow is here possibly because of me because I am not supposed to be here, and I have to stop it because of that.”  
  
“He does have a point “Asgrad remarked “he is out of time”.  
  
Ruden looked at the screen “we are getting those strange readings again” he looked at the screen “there does appear to be nothing there, but this needs more watching”.  
  
Merlyn looked thoughtful for a moment and then opened his diary and looked at something he had written down “what are the co-ordinates?” he asked.  
  
Ruden showed him and Merlyn nodded and looked at his book and said, “of _course_ why didn’t it occur to me!”  
  
“Pardon,” Ruden asked he remembered Asgrad had said that Merlyn had written several numbers down in his diary that had looked like co-ordinates but hadn’t gotten back to him on them.  
  
“One of these figures is where the Intrepid was situated when I fell through the vortex and the other is where the Xanadu was, and the other is Gallifrey’s co-ordinates, this is my entrance point. You said you need an anchor point to get me home, this is it! or  
will be, it is where I fell through the vortex, but I ended up on Gallifrey seeing it was the closest inhabited planet! This is my anchor point! That is why it keeps changing because the Intrepid isn’t here yet!”  
  
Ruden said “let me look at those co-ordinates?”  
  
Merlyn nodded and handed him the Diary and Ruden looked them over, Merlyn had circled one.  
  
“Your correct” he said, “how did you get these though?”  
  
Merlyn indicated the wrist unit he was wearing it looked like a watch but a highly sophisticated one, “it tells me where I am in time and space, at any one time” he replied, I sync it with my laptop, but I have gotten several different sets of co-ordinates for Gallifrey…which is kind of confusing”.  
  
“Pardon?” said Ruden.  
  
“No matter” said Merlyn.  
  
Ruden looked at the numbers and said, “you know you may be right” he looked at the diary page, one was the co-ordinates for Gallifrey which had been highlighted and labelled ‘ _Gallifrey_ ’ but there was a couple of others under it both with a question mark  
beside them, there were a couple of others too, but they weren’t labelled, one was labelled ‘ _Intrepid_ ’ and Highlighted and another said ‘ _Xanadu_ ’.  
  
“He’s right” said Ruden “these co-ordinates do match with Quinawah’s”.  
  
“What does that mean?” Asgrad asked.  
  
“That Quinawah is right and that this is his entry point which is why it is showing up as a temporal anomaly, which has got me confused why _isn’t Temporal Control_ picking this up? We monitor things like that…I did some work for them years ago as part of  
my service! Quinawah is in affect a Temporal Anomaly! A child not born on Gallifrey who arrived here under the strangest circumstances! But we’re found Quinawah’s anchor to get him home”, said Ruden “Quinawah you’re going home, we have your anchor”.  
  
Quinawah nodded “seems that way”.  
  
Ruden said “we’ll have to watch this so we can send you home, make note of our position and point in time and run a few more scans Merlyn whilst I do some adjustments for something else, I wanted to have a look at whilst we were out here “.  
  
Merlyn nodded” very well Lord Ruden”.

He was about to head out to some other co-ordinates that he wanted to look at when he heard his incoming comm’s panel go off and looked at it and looking surprised took the call “Lord High Chancellor how may I help you?”  
  
Merlyn looked up and saw on the screen Xanian, and he said, “ _I need you to come back to Gallifrey, Lord Ruden_ , _I know you are out on a research field trip, but this is somewhat more important”.  
  
_ “Go on” said Lord Ruden.  
  
“ _There’s been another Death_ ” said Xanian, “I _will fill you in when you get here, bring your Research Assistant with you and your Doctor friend”.  
  
_ “Very well High Chancellor, where do you want me to meet you?”   
  
“ _I will meet you in the landing bay_ ” he said, “ _you are going to need some special permissions to get your Research Assistant in, which I can grant_ ”.  
  
Lord Ruden looked surprised “very well… I will be back as soon as I can High Chancellor”.  
  
Xanian nodded and signed out and Asgrad said “what happened? And was _that_ Lord High Chancellor Xanian?”   
  
“We have to cut this short and yes it was…there has been another death, we have to come out and examine those double pulsar stars another time…” he sighed “that is going to be hard. I have enough trouble getting this!” he sighed again deeper this time.  
  
“I still can’t believe that it was the Lord High Chancellor” said Asgrad “since when has he taken an interest in you?”  
  
“Not me…” said Ruden he nodded towards where Merlyn was punching some co-ordinates in as Ruden had asked him too “ _Him_ ”.  
  
Asgrad looked at Merlyn “we have to get him off the planet!”  
  
Ruden said “but do we really **need** to? He’s one of us Asgrad!”

Asgrad said “he also has a family and friends who probably think he’s dead and he’s also it seems a temporal anomaly he should not be here!”  
  
Lord Ruden nodded “I know deep inside we need to. But I admit I have gotten fond of our young alien guest! He’s _brilliant_ and enthusiastic and he makes me smile”.  
  
Asgrad said “so have I…but what does the High Chancellor want with _us_?”  
  
“He’s put us in charge of looking into it and is doing so on his own” said Ruden “he is an old Mentor of mine after all”.  
  
Asgrad said “oh….”.  
  
Ruden nodded “We’re heading back to Gallifrey…there’s been another death and High Chancellor Xanian wants us to investigate, Quinawah do what you are told and do not give away the fact that you aren’t from Gallifrey”.  
  
Quinawah nodded “ok although Xanian already knows that”.  
  
“True he does but still don’t make it obvious” said Ruden laying the co-ordinates back to Gallifrey and turned his ship towards home


	16. Gallifrey- The Capitol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xanian employs Lord Ruden to help him investigate the matter, much to the annoyance of everyone else!

Ruden landed his ship in its designated landing bay and stepped out followed by Asgrad and Merlyn to meet a concerned looked Lord High Chancellor Xanian and what looked like the Leader of the Chancellery Guard, this Time Lord looked Merlyn up and  
down and frowned slightly at his youth but said nothing.  
  
“This is my Research Assistant and ward, Quinawah Firesong, Castellan” said Ruden, “all of our youth do their service to Gallifrey and this happens to be his”.  
  
“ _Ward_?” the Castellan asked.  
  
“His parents were in an accident involving time and have left him an orphan” Lord Ruden said, “They named me his Guardian and Ward”.  
  
Xanian looked at the Castellan “Lord Ruden is perfectly within his rights to take on a Ward if he so desires” he said “there is no rule against him doing so and in my opinion, young Quinawah is extremely lucky to have Lord Ruden willingly take him on, as his Guardian. Too many of our youth are left to struggle alone.”  
  
Merlyn remembered that Xanian was seen as something of a radical in some of his ideas, but in Merlyn’s eyes that appealed him to him even more, he had to admit he liked the High Chancellor.  
  
“You said there was another death and that Quinawah would need some permissions you could grant” said Ruden.  
  
The High Chancellor nodded “it was in the Panopticon”.  
  
“One of the Lords?” Merlyn asked amazed.  
  
“No but one of the Captain of the Guard” said Xanian, ignoring the frown that the Castellan gave Merlyn “which is why I asked you specifically to come here Lord Ruden, I have to grant your Research Assistant access to the Panopticon, seeing you and Dr  
Asgrad already have it”.  
  
“Lord High Chancellor this is most irregular” the Castellan protested “this is a matter best dealt by the Chancellery Guard, not you! You should not have to get involved in this!”  
  
The glare Xanian gave him made Merlyn smile, yep he liked the High Chancellor!  
  
“And _where_ does it state that I _cannot_?” Xanian asked “and _are_ you going to try and stop me from doing so?”  
  
“Well of course not High Chancellor…but the President….”.  
  
“Does not need to know about this. He has enough to worry about as it is” said Xanian “If I can do this and look into this why shouldn’t I? and I judge this as part of doing my duty to the President!”  
  
“The Panopticon?” said Lord Ruden “are you and the Inner council safe?”  
  
Xanian said “there was only me and the President we were in an informal conference, which was why the guards were there….do not worry about us Lord Ruden we are both safe and well, but follow me”.  
  
The Castellan looked mollified but followed them “I still insist that this is an affair for the Chancellery Guard, Lord Xanian” he continued.  
  
“I would normally agree with you” said Xanian “but it was Lord Ruden and his Research Assistant who found the first body, so I have officially declared that they be involved!”  
  


He led them to one of the entrances of the Panopticon and allowed them all access and added “recognise Quinawah, Lord Ruden’s Ward and Assistant under my authority” and led them all in.  
  
“ _I haven’t been in here yet_ ” Quinawah said in a lowered voice to Asgrad.  
  
Asgrad said “ and I barely at all, I have access simply because I’m a Medical Doctor and it is required that I do so in case of an emergency, place is usually closed off to the general public unless it’s a Ceremony or something, Ruden’s on the Council so he’s often here but me, no. It used to be a lot more opened to the public but no longer, something to do with the Eye of Harmony or something…”.  
  
“ _Wow_ ” said Merlyn softly looking around in amazement “the Panopticon!!”.  
  
“You haven’t been in here, have you young one?” Xanian asked softly.  
  
“No…I apologise for my um… _enthusiasm_ ” Merlyn said.  
  
Xanian nodded “it used to be a lot grander from what I heard but has been in decline for centuries…no one cares anymore it seems, and I _like_ your enthusiasm!”.  
  
“But you do” Merlyn asked.  
  
Xanian said “I do…although I doubt it will make much difference”.  
  
Merlyn said, “maybe you can”.  
  
Xanian chuckled gently “I can but try” and went back to walking in front of them all arguing with the Castellan.  
  
“ _Seems you and the Lord High Chancellor have found common ground_ ” Asgrad remarked softly to Merlyn “just be careful Merlyn, he is a powerful ally but do remember who he is”.  
  
“I will” said Merlyn “but I feel like I should know him for some reason…”.  
  
“Who? Lord Xanian?” Asgrad asked.  
  
“Yes” said Merlyn “like we have somehow met before…or _will_ ”.  
  
Asgrad chuckled “welcome to been a Time Lord, maybe you do at some point, one of the things you should remember about been a Time Lord is that sometimes things don’t _always_ happen in order…Time is not the Boss of us and it can be rewritten, that is why we are so dangerous!”  
  
“But I’m not fully a Time Lord!”  
  
Asgrad shook his head “you are enough”.  
  
Merlyn sighed “this is confusing!”  
  
Asgrad said “I know, but maybe you do meet him again at some point in the future and that is why you feel you know him”.  
  
Merlyn said, “is that even possible?”  
  
“It is when you’re a Time Lord!” Asgrad said “that half of your blood has probably complicated your life more than you needed it to be complicated but Merlyn you are one of us and that is something you have to learn more about”.  
  
Merlyn said, “but I am not even a full Jedaini yet!!!”  
  
Asgrad nodded “I know how important that is to you but learning about your other side is probably slightly more important Merlyn than that is…for your own safety!”  
  
Merlyn sighed, Asgrad was right, how was he going to explain all this to his friends when he got back home?  
  
They all joined the group around a shrouded form and Xanian beckoned Asgrad forward “Dr Asgrad your analysis please” he asked.  
  
Dr Asgrad went forward and lifted the blanket and shook his head “same as the guard Lord High Chancellor, both hearts stopped at once, dead pretty much instantly , by what looks like been scared to death as well. It seems whatever does this, it has an  
ability to inhibit the Regenerative process…”.  
  
Xanian nodded “I thought as much…”.  
  
“All the more reason you _should_ not be involved in this Lord High Chancellor! This is an affair for the Castellans and the Chancellery Guard!”  
  
Xanian sighed impatiently and said “I will work with you on this, but I will not step back! I do not walk away!”  
  
“But _yours_ and the Inner Circles safety is our _upmost priority_!” he protested.  
  
  
“Then do your Job, Castellan, and _protect_ me whilst I investigate this!!!” Merlyn had to grin again yep he liked the High Chancellor’s attitude!  
  
He had a feeling that he and the Doctor would get on!  
  
“The Castellan is right Lord High Chancellor Xanian” said Ruden “yours and the inner Circles protection are their upmost priority… allow me to take this over...I am low ranked”.  
  
Xanian said “I will work with you on it, but I will not back down…too many of us have gotten to Complacent! I am not one of them!”  
  
“But Lord High Chancellor if the creature should attack _you_ …” the Castellan said.  
  
Xanian said “I will take that risk; we are all in danger from this creature!” he looked down at the shrouded form and shook his head sadly “take this poor unfortunate to the Coroner” he said.  
  
“Yes, High Lord Chancellor”.  
  
“I will go with him” said Asgrad.  
  
“No, Dr Asgrad, you, Lord Ruden and Lord Ruden’s research assistant shall join me in the Inner council conference room where we can discuss what you already know, you too Castellan”.  
  
“But Lord High Chancellor…”.  
  
“Now!” said Xanian “arrange for the body to be taken to the Coroner and then meet me there, Lord Ruden, you, your Research Assistant and Dr Asgrad follow me”.  
  
They followed him for a bit too he came to a room and opened the door, ' Recognise Lord Ruden, Dr Asgrad and Quinawah Firesong under my authority” ignoring the frown of the two Guards posted on the door, there were normally more but Council wasn’t in session.  
  
They followed him in and Xanian said “ _Firesong_ how did you get that as a surname Quinawah?”  
  
Quinawah said “err it was on my ID when I was found”.  
  
He nodded “I guess that was possibly your non Time Lord parents name then.”  
  
Asgrad and Ruden both looked astounded at that confession and Asgrad said “you _know_ about Quinawah?”  
  
Xanian said “as I said you are not the only two who are aware of our young guests' unusual origins… other eyes saw him arrive and are as curious about him as we are, do not worry, Quinawah’s origins are safe with me, they will not go any further than me,” he nodded at Quinawah, “there are legends of beings such as he…children not only born of Gallifrey but of some other alien race as well”.  
  
Asgrad said “we’re been trying to hide his origins… we cannot find out whose child he is!”  
  
Xanian nodded “keep looking, we should try and find out who his parents were”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I can’t believe you bought us here into the Inner Circles conference room”.  
  
“It is one of the most secure rooms in the Citadel we can talk here safely” Xanian said “I would have taken you to the President’s office or my own, but I am causing the Castellan enough stress as it is! Poor Chap! I don’t believe he _quite_ knows what to make of me!”  
  
“Does anyone?” Ruden asked then “if you allow me to speak frankly, you do realise you are considered something of a radical Lord Xanian, which is why I support you; you are I believe what the High Council needs”.  
  
Xanian stood up and paced a bit and then continued “if you then allow me to frankly speak Lord Ruden…”  
  
“Always High Lord Chancellor” said Ruden.  
  
“ Thank you I believe that we have gotten to complacent and arrogant in our power and I fear it will be our downfall…sometime in the future I am hoping that my investiture as Lord High Chancellor will allow me to make some changes…I had to step over a few toes to get here, but it is where I wanted to be, our world and our people are slowly stagnating and we have gotten to complacent…I don’t want that to happen..” he paused “and don’t you ever tell anyone I said that! You are an old associate of mine and I consider you a friend”.  
  
“Of course, not High Chancellor” said Ruden.  
  
He nodded “very well Ruden, now tell me what you know” as he bought a tea service out.  
  
“Not much more then we have already told you Lord Xanian” said Lord Ruden “although we think we have found Quinawah’s anchor to get him home, to his universe and time”.  
  
“Tell me more?” said Xanian “and do we really need to send him home?”  
  
Asgrad said “of course we have to send him home! He has a twin brother and a sister who probably think he is dead! And honestly Lord Xanian he does not belong here!”  
  
“You mean there are _two_ more of them?” Xanian asked.  
  
“Yes, according to Quinawah, he has siblings, a twin brother and a slightly younger sister” said Asgrad.  
  
“ _Siblings_! And twins at that! _Fascinating_! You must find out _whose_ children they are! do we really have to send him home? Why can’t we just bring the other two children here? If they are indeed orphans, why not just bring them to Gallifrey? And give them a  
home here, and let them finish their education here? They are Half Gallifreyan after all!”  
  
“Well we suspect that he is from the future and possibly not even born yet!” Ruden said “might that not cause a paradox if we were to bring them here? Quinawah already suspects that he is a Time anomaly or has caused one”.  
  
Xanian looked thoughtful “but if their parent has been wiped from Time…”.  
  
“It will still cause a paradox!” Asgrad said.  
  
“It seems a shame though” said Xanian “I barely know the young man and yet I can tell that he is brilliant! And yet oddly I seem to feel that I _should_ …”.  
  
“Quinawah said the same thing about you” Ruden said.  
  
“He did?” Xanian asked.  
  
“Yes…” said Ruden.  
  
_“Even more interesting_!” Xanian said, “we must find out whose child he is…but it is interesting that there are _three_ of them!”  
  
Ruden said “we can’t find any record of them…”.  
  
Xanian said “it is possible that their Time Lord parent is a renegade…which might mean we may never find them…but try anyway”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “we are pretty certain that is the case”.  
  
“Yes, Lord Xanian” said Ruden.  
  
Merlyn said, “I may not even be born yet!”  
  
Xanian looked thoughtful “that is a possibility as well, young one, but if that is the case and when you are born…you should pop up, especially if there are three of you!”  
  
“But doesn’t that cause a Paradox or something?” Merlyn asked.  
  
Xanian chuckled “remember we are Time Lords and, when dealing with Time Lords as we all know things aren’t always in a straight line or in order! It is extremely possible to meet your son or daughter before they are even born! It only causes a Paradox if you kill your parent or your parent dies… because then you would never have existed…of course when dealing with Time Lords that isn’t always true either!”  
  
“Seeing Time can be rewritten” said Merlyn.  
  
“Exactly!” said Xanian.  
  
“So, although I am not a paradox I shouldn’t be here anyway! Which is why bringing my brother and sister here is probably not an option”.  
  
Xanian said “I wouldn’t quite discount that Quinawah…as I said we are Time Lords and so are you. And if you and your siblings are total orphans…as you say. Bringing you here probably wouldn’t cause to much damage to your Timelines, I can’t believe that  
there are three of you!!! Three Hybrid children! And _twins_ no less! You know how rare twins are!”  
  
Ruden said “you are what happens when babies are born without monitoring!”  
  
“But if I'm not born yet!” Quinawah countered, “maybe I _was_ monitored, and you just can’t find me! **_YET_**!!”  
  
Xanian said “he does have a point Lord Ruden”.  
  
Merlyn said, “look, all I know is that my siblings and I are orphans we do not know or remember _who_ our parents were”.  
  
“Which possibly suggests that their parent was a renegade, and that they were possibly lost to time” said Xanian “which in that case, we have three young Time Lords out there, from the future, who were born under extraordinary circumstances. Who is half us and half something else? _Hybrids_ , there are legends of such children and it appears we have come across one of them! Only quite possibly out of Order!”  
  
Merlyn groaned “this is making my head spin!”.  
  
Xanian said “welcome to been a Time Lord young one”.  
  
“ _Half_ Time Lord” said Merlyn.  
  
“Time Lord enough” said Xanian.

Merlyn looked up “The Castellan is on his way back, and he’s not happy!”  
  
Xanian waved that away “don’t mind him he is only doing his job! But I suppose I should go back to be Lord High Chancellor Xanian again! And how did you know that?”  
  
“Err” Merlyn said, “well I did say I was a Jedaini Apprentice…”.  
  
“What is that?” Xanian asked.  
  
“We haven’t managed to get much out of him about _that_ either……” Ruden said “I am guessing it is some type of religious Order or something, or something like the Sisterhood of Karn, Quinawah show him an example of what you can do”.  
  
“I really shouldn’t” said Merlyn.  
  
Xanian said “what does he mean?”  
  
Merlyn said, “it is considered showing off Lord Ruden”.  
  
Xanian said “I have already seen some of what you can do Quinawah”.  
  
“you have?” said Ruden.  
  
“I showed him my _star stuff_ ” said Merlyn.  
  
“ _Quinawah_ ” said Asgrad.  
  
Merlyn said “very well Lord Ruden, watch” he concentrated on the tea service feeling his powers answer him and lifted the tea service up into the air and spun it around.  
  
Xanian said “ ** _Telekinesis_**!!!”  
  
“A little more than that Lord High Chancellor” Merlyn said “but yes” he lowered it just as the Castellan walked into the room and looked at them all.  
  
“High Lord Chancellor this is most irregular! And is technically a breach of security!”  
  
Xanian took a seat in his customary seat and said “it is secure it is one of the safest places we can talk, the other options were my office, or the Presidents and I know you would not allow me to do that! They are all here under my authority and if the rest of  
the Council choose to say something about that I will wear it” Merlyn hid a smile he was liking Lord Xanian more and more!  
  
“Lord High Chancellor” he said.  
  
“Stop sticking so much to protocol!” Xanian snorted” I understand your concerns, but I assure the President and I are both quite safe and well and I have chosen to take this on myself, _work_ with me on this one Castellan not against me. Lord Ruden, his  
research Assistant and Dr Asgrad are the ones with the most experience in this matter and I am using my authority to engage them in the investigations!”.  
  


The Castellan sat down and looked at the three of them and said, “very well, tell me what you know?”  
  



	17. Some days later- outside The Capitol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picnic on Gallifrey- Part One.
> 
> Asgrad and Ruden take Merlyn out for a day out, outside the Citadel.

Some days passed after this with not much happening, Merlyn got his tour of the Observatory and Ruden could go out again to study his quasars and Merlyn passed another one of his assignments, so Ruden and Asgrad had gotten permission to take Merlyn outside the citadel to do some stargazing (well it was more Asgrad than Ruden although Ruden had said he wanted to see something and needed to go outside the Citadel to do so).  
  
Asgrad took occasional trips outside the Citadel to see his family so he had taken advantage of that and they had made a day of it.  
  
“Wow” Merlyn said looking at the Citadel from outside the Dome “you wouldn’t think you could fit so much into what looks like a single city block!” as he took a few photos of it as his two guardians along with Asgrad’s sister Carsina sat nearby on a blanket (she had insisted on packing them a hamper and coming with them).  
  
“Pretty impressive isn’t it?’ Carsina asked with a smile, she had liked Ruden’s and Asgrad’s young ward as soon as she had met him and had also scolded her brother for not coming to see her sooner!  
  
“yes” said Merlyn “it’s also much bigger on the inside” he said to her, he had instantly liked her, she reminded him somewhat of Tina.  
  
“I know” she said “mind you I haven’t been inside it for quite some time…guessing it is as drab and dull as usual? “  
  
Merlyn chuckled “yes. I can understand why you live outside when you got married”.  
  
Ruden said “ _Quinawah_!”  
  
“ ** _Chancellor Xanian_** _agrees_ with me” said Merlyn “why do you all hide under the dome and are afraid to come out? I _don’t_ understand that!”  
  
Carsina looked at Merlyn in some surprise “you’re not from Gallifrey are you?”  
  
“I wasn’t born here” Merlyn admitted “or maybe I was? I don’t know, but no, I’m the child of a renegade, I think, and ended up here under strange circumstances, I’m an orphan, I lost my parents in an accident involving Time I think…because I can’t remember them…”.  
  
Carsina said “your poor child but no wonder you’re so different!”  
  
“He’s one of us “said Asgrad “he just hasn’t lived here that’s all”.  
  
Ruden said “ Quinawah’s past is shrouded in mystery…one we can’t seem to solve”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I am from another time, I think…. I am certainly from another place”.  
  
She said, “where are you from?”  
  
“Saris 4, it’s a moon” he said he had convinced Ruden to let him admit to that, because it was easier to explain than Earth, which he had said he hadn’t spent a lot of time on.  
  
“I never heard of it” she remarked.  
  
“You probably wouldn’t have…none of us have” said Ruden.  
  
Merlyn shrugged “it’s one of the moons of Saris Prime, we can’t live on the planet it is a gas giant, but we can live on the moons, Saris 4 is the biggest and the most populous moon”.  
  
Carsina said “still, poor child ending up here all alone, here of _**all**_ places!!!”  
  
Merlyn said “I don’t mind it so much…although I am confused why the Lords all hide under the Dome? The planets air is fine. The air isn’t toxic or anything… This I don’t understand”. 

Ruden sighed “it’s always been that way Quinawah”.  
  
“He does have a point though” Asgrad said helping himself to some fruit “ _excellent_ lunch as usual Carsina”.  
  
She smiled and nodded “glad you enjoyed it! you don’t visit me enough brother! And I am so pleased to see you taking an interest in an orphan”.  
  
Asgrad said “he kind of fell into our care”.  
  
Merlyn sat down and happily started to do a quick sketch of the citadel from their spot, enjoying a day away from his studies.  
  
Carsina smiled at him “it is so good to see one of our youth who still has an enthusiasm for everything, too many of them get caught up in their work and many we do not see again once they go into the Citadel”.  
  
“You don’t?” Merlyn asked.  
  
She said, “when the children get accepted, we rarely see them again, we all know it is a privilege, but it is like they forget….”.  
  
Merlyn said, “another thing I don’t understand…where I am from, I have been trained as a Jedaini but even though we are told to not let our past hold us back but to remember where we come from…and parents are allowed to keep in contact with their kids…you mean that doesn’t happen here?”  
  
“ _Quinawah_ …” said Ruden with a sigh again.  
  
Asgrad held up his hand “let him talk Ruden…your as curious as I am”.  
  
Carsina said “not really…children are taken away when their around 8 and tested and then we don’t see some of them again, unless they fail at the Academy and even then…we sometimes don’t see them again because they find something else to do…join the Chancellery Guard or something and remain”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “makes sense…but it still seems rather lonely. Look maybe I question stuff like this because I haven’t lived here…but it still seems lonely and a little sad”.  
  
Carsina said “it has been that way for thousands of years. Our society is built on Order… and science and discipline and has existed for thousands of years”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “that I can see…I attend the Academy although I stand out a bit there as well… I can understand why but it still seems a little lonely and sad”.  
  
She chuckled “no doubt you do!!!”  
  
“Quinawah is brilliant but yes he had caused some questions” Ruden said “as Dr Asgrad said he is one of us, but he has been bought up very differently…his knowledge whilst impressive is incomplete or has been misinterpreted. He has a knack for Temporal  
mechanics and quite a good knowledge in the field but there are several other gaps in his knowledge”.  
  
Carsina said ‘that went mostly over my head I am sorry Lord Ruden” she laughed “you Lords…”.  
  
Quinawah chuckled and said, “I have to agree with you in some ways, guessing you aren’t a Time Lord?”  
  
“No” she said “I have a good education but not like you have, and didn’t really let it worry me, we all have a good education. But some of us just don’t make it to the academy, I was one of those, but you know what, I don’t really care, I married a good man and am quite happy with him, haven’t managed to have a child yet though”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “you know it is nice to meet someone whose just well **_ordinary_**! Who’s not a Lord or a member of the Guard. or something like that.”  
  
Carsina laughed “I run my household with my husband, and we are quite happy”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “you think how they talk in the Citadel that the only people who live outside the Dome are Outsiders! But that isn’t the case is it?”  
  
“Not quite” she said, “yes there are Outsiders but not around here!”  
  
Ruden poured himself some more water and drank it, he had to admit despite himself he was enjoying been away from the Citadel for a bit, they were staying at Carsina’s tonight as he wanted to do some stargazing for his project, it had  
taken a bit of convincing but he had gotten permission, for him, Asgrad and Quinawah to stay a night outside the Citadel, it was lucky Asgrad did have a sister who lived outside the Citadel and he had to admit Quinawah seemed so happy to help him with his stargazing and to get away from his studies.  
  
The young alien continued to be a mystery but Ruden had to admit he had gotten fond of their young guest with his enthusiasm, and his starlike eyes, and wondered if there was a way he could work with young people after Quinawah had left, he could investigate into becoming a Cardinal.  
  
Asgrad was right he decided they spent too much time educating their youth and not spending enough time with them! The young alien had made him see that and so in a way if indirectly so had High Chancellor Xanian who had also spent some time of late talking to the young alien, he was as curious about him as he and Asgrad were!  
  
The young alien had changed them all without even realising he had done so.  
  
Carsina said “so tell me Quinawah have you ridden a Vortisaur yet?”  
  
“No,” he said.  
  
“You're been on Gallifrey this long and haven’t ridden one yet?” she asked.  
  
“No”.  
  
Carsina laughed “lucky we have a couple them. My husband he likes to race them! unofficially, we have a Farm.”  
  
“You mean you do ride them…I thought the um.” he stopped than said “I thought that was a myth!”  
  
“It isn’t” she said, with a chuckle “when we get back, I’ll get my husband to let you ride one”.  
  
“Really!” Merlyn said “Gosh!”  
  
Carsina said “yes”.  
  
“Wow!!” said Merlyn.  
  
She laughed and said, “as I said we have a farm, we mainly breed cattle and that, but we have a couple of Vortisaurs as well, you didn’t really get to have a look, around did you?”  
  
“No” he said.  
  
“That’s fine, you’re staying the night so you might as well get the tour”.  
  
Merlyn looked at the sky “you know Gallifrey’s climate is cooler than I thought it would be, with the two suns and all… but that does explain some things…”.  
  
Carsina said “such as?”  
  
“Well, our Physiology for one thing… and how our body temperature is lower than a humans and other things” Merlyn said he looked sheepish “I apologise…I am sounding clinical…”.  
  
Carsina laughed “my brothers a Doctor remember, Asgrad was always the smart one! But you definitely haven’t been bought up on Gallifrey have you?”  
  
“No, I haven’t” said Merlyn “Saris 4 is warm and temperate all year round”.  
  
She nodded “that much is obvious as she poured out some more warm tea (well the Gallifreyan equivalent to it at least!) and offered him a cup out of something that looked like a thermos.  
  
Merlyn took it and drunk it; he was developing a taste for it after been here for several weeks now.  
  
He wondered how much longer he would be here and wondered if it were possible whether he should start working on something to contact his brother they must fear him lost by now, it had now been a month or close to it.  
  
He didn’t really mind he was finding the whole experience fascinating and enjoyed learning about the people he half belonged too, but he knew his family and friends must be frantic about him now.  
  
Carsina asked “is it true that there has been a couple of murders in the Citadel?”  
  
“You _heard_ about that?” Xavier asked.  
  
“Yes” she said.  
  
Asgrad said “they didn’t want us to tell anyone, so it wasn’t me you heard it from”.  
  
Carsina said “no it wasn’t but I heard things, farmers wife, remember? So, it is true?”  
  
“yes, unfortunately it is” said Asgrad “they want us to keep it quiet…but Merlyn, Ruden and I were the ones who found the first body. Both hearts stopped at once and nervous system scrambled so no chance of regeneration…seems to be a sort of venom or something” he continued in a lowered voice “it inhibits regeneration” he nodded at Merlyn who was chatting to Ruden “it's kind of took him by some surprise”.  
  
“It did?” she asked.  
  
“He didn’t think it could happen like that, that we could be instantly killed like that, he’s had some exposure to a Time Lord he knows to much not to have had, but he wasn’t prepared for that” said Asgrad.  
  
“But surely…?”  
  
“Merlyn is an orphan; we think his parents were wiped out of his memory or something. Or he was exposed to some partial time accident, but we have concluded he has had some regular exposure to another Time Lord, but they might not have told him everything it is possible they mightn’t even know that he is one! And are also quite possibly a renegade”.  
  
She nodded “The Doctor?”  
  
“Possibly” said Asgrad “he has met him, don’t tell anyone this, but I looked in his diary and Merlyn mentioned him, I am not sure which incarnation as he isn’t specific about that, but he _has_ met him. I haven’t even told Ruden that I did that”.  
  
Carsina looked at him as he and Ruden talked together and had to smile “I swear I have never seen Lord Ruden so animated!”  
  
Asgrad leaned back and took a roll and chuckled “nor I…think he likes having a young person around more than he cares to admit. He has a nephew, Thomlan but he’s only a baby now, so he is enjoying the company of a young person. It’s almost a shame we have to send Merlyn home because he doesn’t belong here or even possibly from this time!”  
  
“From this time?” she asked.  
  
“We think he’s from the future” said Asgrad “it was something he said when he first arrived here that suggests it…also he seems to be linked to a temporal anomaly of some sort that hasn’t even happened yet! So, we must send him home…Gallifreyan Law and Rules state that! I mightn’t be a Lord like Ruden but even I know that!”  
  
Carsina nodded “true they do…but if he is an orphan”.  
  
Asgrad shook his head “we can’t flout the Rules of Time just because he is an orphan”.  
  
Carsina said “I guess not…but it seems like such a shame”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “we have sent out a call for someone to come get him but knowing said someone’s feeling on us and Gallifrey in general he’s going to take his own sweet time of doing so and is going to be most cross when he finally does get here”.  
  
“You _didn’t_!” she said.  
  
“Yes, we did. He might be the only person who can get our young friend home”.  
  
Carsina said “poor Child”.  
  
Asgrad chuckled “from what I gleaned from Merlyn’s diary he rather _admires_ the man”.  
  
Carsina said “I wonder which one he will get”.  
  
“Whichever one answers the call” Asgrad said “might even be the same one whom he has met”.  
  
Carsina said “hopefully that will be the case. How much does he _know_ about that?”  
  
“A fair bit more than he did when he arrived here, I imagine” Asgrad said “he is one of us, so Ruden and I have been making sure he gets some more knowledge about the people whom he belongs too”.  
  
Carsina said “you're enjoying this, too aren’t you?”  
  
He nodded, “yes I am”.  
  
Carsina said “it is a shame we must let him go then, a child like that, not born on Gallifrey could change the world and the future”.  
  
“Which is _exactly_ why we have to” Asgrad said.  
  



	18. Outside the Capitol-Carsina’s farm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picnic on Gallifrey Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delays between uploading chapters have been asked to return to work so less time on my hands.

It was starting to get later as they walked back to Carsina’s Farm, after finishing off the food although Ruden complained that it was too much!  
  
“Seriously you Lords have forgotten what a satisfying meal is!!!” Asgrad joked as they walked back a happy Merlyn running on ahead taking photos.  
  
“What do they feed you in the Citadel?” Carsina asked Ruden.  
  
“Nothing like that” Asgrad said with a chuckle, “It gets all processed…about the only time Ruden gets a good feed is when he comes visits me at my home! Which is why I am glad Merlyn was left in my care and **_not_ **Ruden’s!”  
  
“He doesn’t live at the Academy” she asked.  
  
“No, we need to get him home, so I offered to accommodate him,” said Asgrad, “I’ve enjoyed the company, even **_if_** Merlyn nearly blew up my lab!”  
  
“I said I was sorry about that Dr Asgrad…I didn’t correctly calculate the amount” said Merlyn.  
  
“No harm done” said Dr Asgrad.  
  
Carsina asked then “what do you prefer to be called?”  
  
Merlyn said “ Quinawah is my actual name but ‘ _Merlyn_ ’ is the name I choose to call myself, I can’t get Ruden to call me Merlyn”.  
  
“So, you prefer Merlyn?” she asked.  
  
“yes” he said.  
  
“Ok” she said, “but where does it come from”.  
  
“Earth literature” Asgrad said “you know I am rather fond of its literature, Merlin the Magician, Arthurian Legends, the legend of King Arthur, whose a Earth King who might or might not have existed. There is a wiseman, a magician in the legend called Merlin, who also might or might not have existed. In some legends he is a Visionary or a seer, in others he is a Sorcerer and in others he is a Scientist and in still others he is a Bard or a Priest in some or a Druid. Interesting. Merlyn said he got the nickname because he is good at ‘ _fixing stuff_ ’ although I think my Lab would disagree with that sentiment!”.  
  
“Sol 3” said Ruden joining them.  
  
“ _Earth_!” said Asgrad “just call it Earth!”  
  
“Sol 3” said Ruden, Asgrad rolled his eyes.  
  
Merlyn chuckled he loved how Ruden and Asgrad countered each other, Ruden the prim and proper Time Lord, and Asgrad the more down to earth medical Doctor, he was going to miss them both he decided, and it made him sad that he would never see any of them ever again knowing what he did, would it be so wrong to use his foreknowledge to _warn_ them? He knew what his friends would say about that.  
  
Carsina said “Earth, and I will call you Merlyn” she led them back to her farm and they paused atop a hill for a bit and simply looked at it “not much I know” she said, “but it is mine and my husbands, come on down and I’ll see if my husband will let you ride one of his Vortasaurs, he’s rather proud of them”.  
  
Merlyn said “your farm it looks…well _ordinary_ compared to the Citadel! It’s all glass and metal there. There are some parts you can’t even see the sky! I love how ordinary your farm looks!”  
  
She chuckled and said, “oh believe me it’s not as simple as it looks!!!”  
  
“No doubt ** _this_ **is Gallifrey after all, but it looks simple” Merlyn continued taking some photos and following her down.  
  
“You run this place by yourself with just your husband and you?” Ruden asked.  
  
“No, we have some farmhands” as two children ran by laughing “Lord Ruden when was the last time you stepped outside your citadel?”  
  
“Told you he doesn’t do it enough” Asgrad said “this is the first time I have ever managed to convince him to visit you with me and he only did it because of Merlyn”.  
  
“I’ve hadn’t really needed to” said Ruden backing up a little when they wandered passed well what Merlyn assumed was either a cow or a sheep.  
  
“Who left the gate open!!” she said going over to whatever it was and shooing it back behind a gate and shut it, Merlyn grinned.  
  
“I think the catch needs repairing” said a voice as a man came up “it keeps coming open, hello Asgrad been some time since we saw you, how are you”.  
  
“Hello Luwen” said Asgrad, whom they assumed was Carsina’s husband, Merlyn had to admit that he was enjoying this, meeting people on Gallifrey who were just _ordinary_!!, he looked at Merlyn with some curiosity.  
  
“Asgrad took on an orphan” Carsina said to her husband “a child who has lost their parents and was left alone”.  
  
“Hardly a child” Luwen remarked “he looks around eighteen! Almost a young man”.  
  
“Well, a young man then, a young man whose past has been lost it seems, but none the less an orphan, which in itself is more of a challenge” she said, “he wasn’t born here so he knows little about the people whom he belongs too, so it is very noble  
and very brave of my brother”.  
  
Luwen said “odd though, but indeed noble”.  
  
“Why odd?” Ruden asked.  
  
“Because I didn’t picture you as one who would do anything like that” said Luwen.  
  
Merlyn chuckled “it’s so _good_ to see ordinary people! I’ve been stuck in the citadel all this time! You’d think by the talk there the only people outside the Citadel are Outsiders! And it is nice to see that that isn’t the case! I come from Saris 4 which is a moon,  
half of it is a big city the other half is a tourist trap, so it is nice to see a farm!! I would very much like a tour!”  
  
Luwen looked at the lad, his Galifreyan was near perfect although he spoke with a strange accent, blue eyes that glinted like a star regarded him.  
  
He had reddish blonde hair, lightly tanned skin and was as he had already observed around eighteen, he was clad in brown and green robes and seemed to have a subtle glow which made him wonder.  
  
“What’s your name?” he asked.  
  
“Quinawah” the boy replied, “but call me Merlyn”.  
  
“It’s his nickname” Ruden explained “although he prefers it over his actual name”.  
  
“What is so odd about that, none of you use your full names either” Merlyn said.  
  
“He has a point” said Asgrad.  
  
“I promised he’d get to see our Vortisaurs” Carsina said.  
  
“Very well “he said “come along then”.  
  
Ruden said “I will set up the equipment I need to do my research Quinawah, it’ll be dark in a hour or two join me when you're ready”.  
  
“Yes, Lord Ruden” said Quinawah following Luwen.  
  
Luwen said “you got Lord Ruden as your service?”  
  
Merlyn chuckled “I’m his ward and he also employs me as his Research Assistant, so yes, he’s my service to Gallifrey”.  
  
“Don’t let him overwork you” said Luwen “ but Vortisaurs you want to see?”  
  
Merlyn nodded eagerly and he laughed and said “right this way then…I have recently fed them so they should be placid enough”  
  
Merlyn said, “don’t they like blood or something?”  
  
“They are carnivorous if that is what you mean” he said, “but come on they should be placid enough, I race them”.  
  
“I’m surprised more don’t ride them” said Merlyn following him “where I come from people ride a lot of creatures, Dragons been one”.  
  
“Don’t need to in the citadel” he said deciding he liked Ruden’s young ward “but where do you come from? _really_?”

  
“I come from Saris 4 as I said…my parents I think they were renegades; they think they were involved in an accident with time and that is why I can’t remember them” he said.  
  
“And yet you survived?”  
  
“Only because I was shielded” he said, “and one of them had fitted me with a vortex manipulator.”  
  
“Cheap and nasty way to time travel, but it did its job and saved you” he said.  
  
“Yes” he said, “is that them?” he said indicating two indigo reptilian creatures.  
  
“That’s them indeed” he said.  
  
“Their beautiful in an odd way” said Merlyn going up to one and offering out his hand.  
  
“Carefully” he said with a smile joining the lad and suddenly realised what it was that had been bothering him about the lad, he could see it now that it was getting dark a soft very subtle silvery light surrounded him, it wasn’t the glow of regeneration but it   
something else “what are you?” he asked.  
  
“pardon” Merlyn asked going up to the smaller Vortisaur sensing that it was a female, and probably the more placid out of the two, although the male which was probably her mate was watching him “aren’t you both amazing” Merlyn said softly.  
  
Luwen said “what are you? Your _glowing!_ ”  
  
“Long story” Merlyn said patting the female “I’m not really _supposed_ to talk about it, Lord Ruden and Dr Asgrads orders” and got up onto the females back soothing her as he did so, with his Telepathic powers.  
  
“She seems to like you” Luwen remarked.  
  
He grinned “she does, doesn’t she?” he said.  
  
“Do you want me to get you a saddle and that?”  
  
“No” Merlyn said, “it’s like riding a dragon!”  
  
“Dragon?” he asked.  
  
“Big reptile…similar to these guys but much bigger…well depends on where you come from Really, Crasolian ones aren’t much bigger than these are”.  
  
“I know what a Dragon is…what I am surprised about is that you actually say your ridden one!”  
  
Merlyn shrugged and Luwen slipped a guide rope on her and lead her around the yard and then let her go urging him to hang on and was quite amazing that he did so and remarkably well, Merlyn laughed in sheer delight making Luwen smile.  
  
“Careful Merlyn” said Asgrad joining them.  
  
“it’s like riding a dragon bare backed I know how to do that! And then there’s these creatures on Saris who are like a big Manta Ray!! “he said.  
  
“What is he? Dr Asgrad?” asked Luwen.  
  
“What you mean?” Asgrad asked “an orphan who arrived here somewhat under extraordinary circumstances”.  
  
“He’s _glowing_!” he said, “and it’s gotten stronger…”.  
  
Asgrad had noticed that himself, Merlyn’s subtle glow sometimes got brighter depending on his moods, he didn’t seem to notice it, probably because he was used to it and it was normal for him, but others did.  
  
“Just as long as he doesn’t start to glow blue” said Asgrad.  
  
“What is he? He’s not fully _Gallifreyan_ is he?” Luwen asked.  
  
“The truth is we don’t really know” said Asgrad “I have never seen anything like him before, but he is Gallifreyan but with a touch of something else…we have tried to keep it quiet though, but sometimes his glow gives him away, it seems normal to him though…so I haven’t really worried about it. whatever it is it isn’t harming him in anyway. He is one of us though, two hearts, respiratory bypass system, anything else that is normal to a Time Lord. Has strong and highly trained psionic powers though. More akin to the sisterhood of Karn than a Time Lord, but no he is one of us”.  
  
“There are legends of children like him” he remarked.  
  
“One of his parents was a Time Lord the other…well I have no idea and he seem oddly reticent to expand on that, but as I said we have been trying to keep that under wraps”.  
  
“So, he is Gallifreyan?”  
  
“Oh, he’s that alright” said Asgrad “you should probably stop Merlyn…Lord Ruden would like you to help him set his equipment up”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “guess I should but that was a blast!!!” but he got off the Vortisaur and said to Luwen “thanks so much that was so much fun!!! But Dr Asgrad is right I should go help Lord Ruden set up his star watching equipment, he’s looking for double pulsar stars and quasars, possible new galaxies, time anomalies, and mapping the heavens, although I thought that you would have all done that by now…”.  
  
“Big universe out there Merlyn and forever changing” said Lord Ruden joining them then “sometimes things form, and we don’t even notice it…that is what I am searching for”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I know… you have forever”.  
  
Ruden said, "WE have forever. come along” and Merlyn joined him.


	19. Several days later- The Capitol.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay in loading now. have been asked to return to work so have less time.

Merlyn and Asgrad were sitting together in Asgrads living room, a few days later, Merlyn was working on one of his many assignments and Asgrad was reading.  
  
They had spent many a night like this since Merlyn had come to Gallifrey and Merlyn had introduced Asgrad to some of his favourite TV shows and movies from his own universe that he had saved onto his virtual Drive.  
  
Merlyn had even shown him some Dr Chronos episodes and Asgrad had shook his head and had said with a laugh “no wonder you admire your Ideal of the Doctor so much!!"  
  
Merlyn had shrugged and said, “I know it’s fiction…but well…”.  
  
He had laughed and said, “not all of it, you're young Merlyn”.  
  
Merlyn had said “I probably should know better…”.  
  
He laughed “we all have heroes young one, the Doctor is obviously yours”.  
  
“I was surprised to find that Time Lords actually had myths and legends”.  
  
“Why shouldn’t we?” said Asgrad “although admittingly a lot have been forgotten over time, we were quite a different people at one time, I have to agree with Xanian on that. Our people, they are stagnating, we’re gotten to arrogant and confident in our power and security. We’re largely forgotten how to live! At some time in the distant past, we must have marvelled at our world, but we seem to have forgotten that we named our mountains for goodness sakes!”  
  
Merlyn had to chuckle “I noticed that. You just didn’t label them, you ** _named_** them!!!”  
  
Asgrad said “yes we are definitely an odd lot, we Time Lords, which is why you stand out so much, with your starlit eyes and enthusiasm and your continuous questions!”  
  
He smiled at Merlyn’s response “you see this world through the eyes of someone not born here”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I guess I should tone it down huh?”  
  
Asgrad said “no, _don’t_! you bought a breath of fresh air to us dusty old Time Lords!”  
  
Yes, they had spent many an evening like this, in a comfortable silence or having conversations about various things or listen to Ruden complain about things or tell them all the latest news.  
  
Merlyn was in the middle of working out a particularly curly mathematical problem when suddenly Asgrad after hours communicator went off making them jump, so unused to it, it rarely went off.  
  
Asgrad looked up astounded, he was unused to it going off, after hours, Gallifreyans in general due to their biology rarely got sick at all!  
  
Asgrad said “ _Mmm_ maybe someone’s baby is due that is about the only time it does go off after hours! Either that or someone does something silly! We rarely get sick at all! As you have no doubt realised”.  
  
“Long life, two hearts and an advanced physiology not to mention regenerative properties and access to some of the best medical treatments in the universe!” Merlyn said.  
  
“Exactly, which you also have!” said Asgrad, he had spent the last few weeks training Merlyn in advanced and basic first aid and Gallifreyan biology pointing out that he needed to know, especially about regeneration, the ability to heal yourself and others with it, not to mention how to partially regenerate! As he had pointed out that was how Merlyn had survived getting a broken shoulder as a baby.  
  
Asgrad got up and answered his communicator “Dr Asgrad speaking you have reached me after hours please state your reasons for doing so and the emergency if there is one. I will try to answer your questions the best way I can and if it is an emergency, I will connect you to the hospital if I cannot treat you myself”.  
  
“ _Dr Asgrad_?” said a familiar voice and he turned the viewer on.  
  
“High Lord Chancellor?” Asgrad said astounded.  
  
Xanian’s face appeared on the screen “ _I need you down the Panopticon immediately, we have an emergency, and the usual physician is unavoidably delayed! I apologise for the hour, but you were the first person I thought of_ ”.  
  
“Lord High Chancellor are you alright?” Asgrad asked “has there been another one”.  
  
“ _I’m fine, but the President…well you need to get down here as soon as you can, I think he could die if you don’t, he was attacked…but he survived it was distracted. but the President is in a state of shock and one of his hearts appear to have stopped! And well we know the creatures poison or whatever attacks the nervous system. He’s alive and conscious but he is in a lot of pain!  
_  
Asgrad nodded “keep him conscious and calm and try to stop it triggering a regeneration…that could possibly kill him… one our way down now!!!”  
  
“Wow…” said Merlyn “Time Lords can have heart attacks?”  
  
Asgrad said “of _course_ we can. We can survive with just one heart, but it is not advisable. Which is why he is still conscious, depends on how bad it is, but it seems we might be able to examine someone who has survived attack from this creature if we hurry!”  
  
A few moments later they were let into one of the side doors of the Panopticon by a concerned looking member of the Chancellery guard and Asgrad said “Dr Asgrad I know I’m not the usual physician, but Lord High Chancellor Xanian called me, this is my ward and my assistant Quinawah Firesong. How is the President?”  
  
“Alive Dr Asgrad and conscious but in a lot of pain, Lord Xanian is keeping him calm” was the answer.  
  
They were led to the Council office again and a concerned looked Xanian met them, not _High Chancellor Xanian_ , just Xanian, concerned for his superior and his friend.  
  
“Thank goodness you’re here!” Xanian said “he’s growing weaker!! He’s conscious but in a lot of pain…one of his hearts has always been a little faulty… and well…”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “let me do my work Xanian then we’ll talk and find out what happened! First things first, we need to give him a painkiller so I can keep him calm and put an inhibitor on him to stop our natural defences kicking in because if he had been attacked as you suspect that would only kill him!”  
  
Xanian nodded “right of course…”.  
  
“Is he still conscious?”   
  
“yes” said Xanian.  
  
“Good we need him conscious and calm” Asgrad said.  
  
Merlyn went to the President his force enhanced senses picking up his pain “I can keep him calm Dr Asgrad”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “can you?”  
  
“I’m a Jedaini Consular Apprentice I have some training in healing” Merlyn said.” You can?” Xanian asked as the President groaned and spoke.  
  
“Can someone stop this pain; I can’t breathe properly!!”   
  
“Well, it appears your still quite conscious and lucid Lord President, so maybe it isn't as bad as we thought” Asgrad remarked “but we have to ask you to remain calm! That could kill you if you do not! If you have been attacked by what we suspect you have been”.  
  
Merlyn went up to him “take my hands Lord President and I will keep you calm”.  
  
“Who are you…oh never mind stop this pain. It’s my bad heart” he said gasping for breath and clasping his chest.  
  
“That is my assistant Merlyn” said Asgrad “and I am Dr Asgrad it seems that your usual physician is unavoidably delayed so Lord Xanian called me”.  
  
“He’s my Physician” Xanian said “my personal one, and I must ask you again Lord President to keep calm!”  
  
Merlyn took the Presidents hands and aimed his calming aura, luckily Time Lords as rule were mildly telepathic “concentrate on me Lord President”.  
  
He nodded and groaned “it hurts so much!!!”  
  
Merlyn nodded and managed to calm him a bit as Dr Asgrad gave him a painkiller and attached an inhibitor on him.  
  
“Ok this should help, remain calm Sir we have to kickstart your heart again it has stopped your other seems to be fine, but I need to take a sample of your blood as well but for me to do that you have to remain calm. Your've been poisoned and right now not doing so, would only kill you!” he said, “it’s why I have numbed you from chest down”.  
  
Merlyn said, “keep concentrating on me…” and activated his force healing powers.  
  
The President nodded and said, “I feel better already…” he looked at Merlyn “what you do to me youngster, what are you?”  
  
Asgrad said “that’s good Merlyn keep him conscious and talking, I have to finish my scan and neutralise the poison and get his system working again.”.  
  
“What are you?” the President asked then.  
  
“Relax Lord President, my name is Quinawah and I am Dr Asgrad’s assistant, what happened? What did you see?”  
  
The President said, “I can’t feel anything below my neck."  
  
“That’s good it means that it is working” said Asgrad “just a few more moments Lord President” he held up a container with some blood in it and put it aside, and then did something, he twitched.  
  
“Calm” said Asgrad “you're starting to react again, ok that’s fine…we can work with that. Merlyn keep doing what you are doing.”  
  
Xanian watched this in silence not sure what to do or say, and Asgrad nodded and said “ok you’ll feel a bit of a tingle as I reboot your system, but I ask you to remain calm…I’ve neutralised the poison, so you should be fine, “  
  
“It's my bad heart” the president said, “can’t seem to get rid of it”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “ok hold on, you’ll feel a bit of a tingle but try to remain calm as not doing so would be fatal right now, it’s how this creature has already killed two, it scrambles the nervous system and cuts through our defences, stopping both hearts at and inhibits regeneration. It is quite possibly your flawed heart is what saved you tonight, if you were human you would be dead by now”.  
  
The President nodded and Asgrad activated the device that he had attached, and Merlyn linked as he was to the President now felt the tingle as well, the president involuntarily twitched, glowed a little and then settled.  
  
Asgrad nodded and put the same device he had put on Merlyn and then said “ok done. You need to wear both the inhibitor and this device for the next couple of hours and we will stay here with you” he listened to both hearts and nodded “ok the one that was affected seems to be returning to normal but it’ll be tender for a couple of days, so take it easy and should probably be in hospital…you were most lucky tonight Lord President that High Chancellor Xanian called me when he did, else you would be dead by now and I mean dead. This creature inhibits regeneration, but this does prove you can survive an attack from it” he checked a few other things and nodded “the numbness will wear off soon, you might feel a little pain but nothing a mild painkiller couldn’t cure, also when you are feeling up to it. Share with me what you saw”.  
  
Xanian said “is he going to survive?”  
  
“No reason he shouldn’t. he was lucky though” said Asgrad “had you not called us when you did… well you might have gotten a go at the Presidency, as it is you're going to have to fill in for a few days. The President needs to rest”.  
  
Xanian said “No doubt”.  
  
The President said “thank you Xanian for your Timely intervention” as Merlyn got him some water.  
  
“Just doing my duty to The Council and to you Lord President” said Xanian, it was clear to them that although the President was Xanian’s superior, Xanian also quite possibly thought of him as a friend or at least a close ally or mentor perhaps.  
  
Xanian sat down and took a glass of water as well, “Thank you Quinawah”  
  
Asgrad said “I will remain for a couple of hours until both those devices have done their work, Merlyn you may go home, or you may remain.”  
  
“I’d like to stay” said Merlyn.  
  
Asgrad nodded “very well” he nodded to the President “Don’t move around too much Lord President, may I ask why you and Lord Xanian were here so late? It is well after hours”.  
  
“We were working late but that is all I can really say” said Lord Xanian, “I was on my way home in fact when I heard the yell. I came back and he was on the floor”.  
  
Merlyn then asked, “did you see anything odd, with the lights?”  
  
“I didn’t” said Xanian.  
  
“Did the lights flicker?” Asgrad asked.  
  
Xanian looked thoughtful and then said, “briefly but then that often happens…”.  
  
“How often and has it been doing so more of late?” Asgrad asked then catching what Merlyn was getting at and taking over the questioning as they would listen more to him than Quinawah.  
  
“Fairly often of late in fact” said the President, “it was why I got up because my lights went out, the room was plunged into darkness I went to call the Guards next thing I knew something jumped at me out of the shadows and then the lights came back on as Lord Xanian opened the door. As he said he found me on the floor in pain.”  
  
Asgrad nodded “as I thought the creature uses the shadows to move around, care to share that with us Telepathically if you feel up to it”.  
  
Xanian said “I’ll do it, if you feel uncomfortable sharing it with Dr Asgrad”.  
  
“Wow this is where you do that ‘ _contact_ ’ thing isn’t it? I _knew_ it!” Merlyn asked, and then looked embarrassed at his words especially when the President looked at him oddly, but a slow smile crept across Xanian’s face.  
  
Asgrad sighed and said “ _Quinawah_ …forgive Quinawah Lord President and Lord Xanian, he was not born on Gallifrey so he doesn’t fully understand a lot of things or has a partial but not quite understanding of it”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I’m also a Jedaini apprentice Dr Asgrad”.  
  
The President looked at Quinawah again and asked, “who are you?”  
  
“Um” Merlyn said.  
  
“Quinawah is an orphan Lord President, it is why he is Lord Ruden’s and I’s ward” Asgrad said.  
  
“ _Not_ born on Gallifrey? _Fascinating_ ” said the President “where were you born then lad?”  
  
“Saris four” said Merlyn “it’s a moon…but I am not really supposed to talk about it".  
  
Asgrad said “we believe that Quinawah has been the victim of an incident with time, which made him lose his parents, he does not remember much about it, and it is possible he maybe from the future”.  
  
“An Orphan lost in time and possibly from the future?” The President asked, “what makes you think that?”  
  
“Just something he said when he first arrived here” Asgrad said.  
  
“Which is why I am not supposed to talk about it because it may also not be true” said Merlyn “ and because I may influence something, but the point is I think that the creature that attacked you is here because of me..it is here because I am I think I may have bought it with me, when I tumbled through the space/time vortex, so technically it shouldn’t be here and it is why we have to stop it”.  
  
“You _tumbled_ through the Vortex?” he asked.  
  
Merlyn nodded “yes”.  
  
“And _survived_?” he asked.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I had protection”.  
  
“Arh…nasty way to travel, but effective and probably why you survived” he said doing what Ruden had said most would assuming he had had a vortex manipulator or some such thing.  
  
Asgrad nodded “if you feel comfortable would you like to share what you saw with me or Lord Xanian on what you saw Telepathically? “  
  
“I can manipulate his aura again some if you like” said Merlyn “like I said I am not trained specifically to be a Healer, but I do have some basic training in it, because all Jedaini Consulars get trained in it”.  
  
“Manipulate his…what are you saying Merlyn?” Asgrad asked.  
  
“It was what I was doing whilst you were operating on him keeping him calm” Merlyn replied.  
  
Asgrad said “oh”.  
  
“Every living thing has an aura, Jedaini are trained to recognise that aura and can manipulate it some…to heal, I haven’t been specifically trained as a Healer but all Jedaini Consulars have a basic knowledge on how to do it… Time Lords are quite spectacular although I suspect a lot of that is to do with regenerative energy”.  
  
Asgrad said “I swear Merlyn, you just keep surprising us!!!”  
  
The President looked at Merlyn then “am I to understand that you have some far more advanced training in Psionic abilities more like those of the Sisterhood of Karn than Gallifrey and you weren’t born on Gallifrey?”  
  
Merlyn said “I’m as I said a Jedaini apprentice, it is I guess sort of like the Sisterhood of Karn from what I was reading… it’s hard to describe, I have what is known as training in the Way, the Path and the Way or to put it in singular terms…Force Training, I can feel the Force and have training in it. I can help”.  
  
“Some of us have more advanced Psionic Training” Xanian said.  
  
“Your mildly Telepathic as a rule” Merlyn said, “but aside from all that…I can help if you need me too, especially seeing I have already established a baseline empathic contact with you sir” this was said to the President.  
  
The President nodded “very well…” Merlyn nodded and went to his side and touched his shoulders “relax and concentrate on me, “.  
  
“Your glowing!” the President said.  
  
“That’s part of his strange story” Asgrad said “would you like to do this with me, or would you prefer Lord Xanian seeing I am taking some liberties here that I really _shouldn’t_ be due to the emergency protocols…which goes against all security protocols…considering who you are Lord President”.  
  
“You saved my life” he said, “Very well I consent and right now seeing it was an emergency I think we can relax the security protocols a little, just don’t tell anyone”.  
  
“Of Course, Lord President” said Asgrad “you are currently my patient, so all records are confidential”.  
  
Xanian said “I will go keep the Castellan occupied for you, he is on his way back with the usual Physician and will tell the guards to keep this quiet as well, excuse me. Dr Asgrad I am assuming it is safe to leave you here with your assistant with the President and that both of you will be discreet about this”.  
  
“Of course, Lord High Chancellor” said Asgrad “Merlyn?”  
  
“Of course, Lord High Chancellor” said Merlyn.  
  
“Very well” said Xanian leaving the room.  
  
Asgrad nodded and touched the Presidents temples “now share with me what you saw…but only do it as long as you can, you need some bedrest and possibly a hospital stay I am just a General Practitioner”.  
  
The President grimaced “I hate hospitals. Spent too much time in them due to my heart. can’t seem to get rid of it”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “very well. Isolation perhaps in your home for a few days then but share with me what you saw”.  
  
“Contact” said Asgrad.  
  
“Contact” said the President.  
  
Merlyn adjusting his aura manipulation to encompass both and waited patiently, although he was thinking ‘ _this is cool_!’ boy would he had a story to tell his brother and his family when we got home although he could already picture the Doctor’s reaction.  
  
“So, you saw a shadow just before you were attacked” said Asgrad.  
  
“Yes, but I couldn’t see it very well” said the President, “it was quite dark”.  
  
“Very well” said Asgrad “what else can you share”.  
  
The President then said, “what is Quinawah?”  
  
“Focus Lord President I understand that it is a little hard “said Asgrad “but you need to focus”.  
  
“I am focused I am just wondering who he is…there is something very different about him…”.  
  
Asgrad said “different as in how?”  
  
“Well, he is glowing!” he said.  
  
Asgrad said “as I have already stated it is part of his strange story!”  
  
Merlyn noticed this as well and said, “uh Dr Asgrad…. I’m glowing…”.  
  
“You naturally glow” said Asgrad.  
  
“Err not like this” said Merlyn noting with concern that his normally silvery-white and subtle aura had gone blue just as they all heard a staser shot go off. 


	20. The Panopticon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Attack and Aftermath.
> 
> Sorry about the delay of late they have me back at work, so I have less time.

“That was a staser shot!!!” The President said and they all heard a yell.

“Guard the President!” Merlyn said suddenly and before they could both react Merlyn in a flash of blue light was out the door his lightsabre already ignited.

“What!!!” the President said.

“I should have been taking more notice!!!” Asgrad muttered, “Merlyn did warn me to take notice if he started to glow blue!”

“What is he?” the President asked, “he’s not just Gallifreyan is he?”

Asgrad said “No, he isn’t”.

The President stood up groaning a little in pain and said “what is he? I demand to know!!!”

“He’s a ...” Asgrad said not sure how to explain it.

The President asked, “a what?”

Asgrad said “he’s Galifreyan…well at least one of his parents was a Time Lord... the other…?”

The President said, “a Hybrid?”

Asgrad said “ Galifreyan mixed with something else…something quite unlike we have ever seen. We’re been trying to keep it quiet…but”.

“A hybrid?” the President said, “there are legends”.

Asgrad nodded “which is why we have been trying to keep it quiet, Merlyn is a Hybrid, I don’t think he is the one the legends speak of, but he is we think from the future and has been lost in time. He is it appears to be from another universe possibly a parallel one, we haven’t been able to get much out of him, we think he is trying to protect someone, he says his other half is a race called the Dorenganza and that they are plantar, but that is about all we can get him to reveal, but I must ask you Lord President to remain seated “ as they heard more staser shots from outside.

The doors were opened and another Time Lord, the usual physician presumably, came running in followed by the Castellan, who looked at Asgrad in some shock.

“Lord Xanian called me” said Asgrad “and just as well he did. Else the President would be dead by now! But the President needs some bedrest and respite for a few days! I’ve done what I can, you can take over now. I’m going to see if my ward is ok”, and without another word, drawing on all his dignity Asgrad strode out of the room.

“Merlyn!” he called running out into the corridor and saw a sight that almost made one of his own hearts stand still!

Merlyn stood locked in deadly combat with what looked like a living shadow that was threatening Lord Xanian.

He had his blue energy blade out and was attacking the creature, glowing blue and as he watched Merlyn seemed to cast lightning at the creature which let out a screech and as they watched in in horror it seemed to split in two and for a moment both he and Xanian were engulfed in what seemed to be liquid Shadow and they lost sight of them both for a moment.

“Lord Xanian! Merlyn!” Asgrad called out afraid that they had lost them both, then one figure was thrown out.

“Oops sorry Lord Xanian! but it had to be done, to save your life,” Merlyn’s voice came out of the shadow “everyone, stand back!” 

They did so and there was an almighty flash of light and a bolt of lightning and what sounded like a thunderclap, which shook the corridor and a flash of light temporarily dazzled them all and when it cleared the creature was gone.

“It’s killed two more!!” said a voice as Merlyn came into view, his blue energy blade ignited, his aura which was currently blue fire fully visible, his hair had also seemed to take on a liquid fire texture and his eyes were glowing “I managed to wound it, but there are two more guard dead and one other survivor, it went for Xanian but I wounded it”.

Asgrad taken back at Merlyn’s transformation was too stunned to pull him up about carrying his blade, Xanian appeared then he looked stunned but was unharmed and alive.

“Lord Xanian!!” said Asgrad.

“Is the President secure” Xanian asked.

“Yes, his physician is with him” said Asgrad “are you unharmed?”

Xanian nodded, “I am, now…thanks to Quinawah, but there appears to be two of them now… or was”.

“They split” said Merlyn.

“Two of them” said Asgrad.

“Follow me!!” said Merlyn whose aura had changed to red, to Asgrad, Xanian and the two remaining Chancellery Guard.

Asgrad wasted no moment and followed the young alien they all did to the main area and they all saw what looked like something like a liquid shadow sliding up the wall, Merlyn leapt after it, opening what looked like a pair of wings made of light and they saw him attack something with his glowing blade and chuck some bolts of light at the creature which was lit up eerily for a moment it looked like a large liquid shadow.

The two remaining Guards fired their stasers one narrowly missing Merlyn.

“Careful where you aim those things “said Asgrad “don’t hit Merlyn!!! He is not the enemy here!!!” as he recognised the settings, and it would kill Merlyn if it hit him or that was normally the case with Gallifreyans.

Merlyn though, as if sensing the beams easily avoided them though and his aura seemed to be acting as a shield.

Even Xanian looked astounded “what is he!!!” he asked, Asgrad noticed that Xanian was glowing a little.

“Are you sure you’re alright High Chancellor” he asked.

Xanian nodded “it just scratched and shook me up a little” 

He nodded and scanned Xanian “you should be alright, but none the less get out of the way, High Chancellor your safety is our priority!”

Merlyn seemed to have gotten the better of the creature and very soon it dropped off the wall, and hit the floor with a thud, a ragged cheer went up.

Merlyn landed and checked the creature and looked up and said, “the other one got away although I think it’s wounded too” as they all saw the last trace of the other one disappear into the vents “but at least we know what they are now”.

“We do?” Asgrad asked.

Merlyn nodded and pulled out a test tube out of his belt and took a quick sample of the dead creature on the floor which was rapidly decaying away to nothing.

“Don’t we even get a body to study” said Asgrad.

“They are creatures of the shadow and the void” Merlyn replied, “this will have to do…but we know how to track and trap it now”.

Xanian came over to Merlyn “you saved my life….” he said.

Merlyn nodded and said, “I am Jedaini” he simply stated and handed the test tube to Asgrad “you can use that to lure the surviving one out and set a trap for it, I will show you how”.

Xanian said “what are they?”

“We call them Void Slithers, they are creatures of pure malevolence and pure shadow…they live in the Void, they feed on Artron energy and lifeforce” Merlyn replied “which proves that I did bring it with me!! Now I must set this right!!! It shouldn’t be here!!!” he slumped against the wall obviously tired and worn out himself and then fainted and his glow faded.

Asgrad ran over to him and ran a scan and said, “exhaustion and a bit drained himself, it’s drained some of his Artron reserves as well”.

“He saved my life” said Xanian stunned.

Asgrad said “that he did Lord Xanian”.

“Is he going to be alright?” Xanian asked concerned kneeling by him.

He nodded “he’ll be fine when he gets some rest, he’s Gallifreyan enough, you, however, I need to check that you’re alright as well”.

Xanian nodded “very well but I am alright, I am more concerned about the President and our brave young friend”.

“The President is fine his physician is with him, Merlyn said that there was someone else who had been wounded” he said.

“Further up the corridor” Xanian said “do you want me to come”.

“No, you need to rest too High Chancellor” he said.

“I will take Merlyn back to the suite then” said Xanian “there are also two more dead I believe…the two Guards that were with me” he picked up Merlyn and carried him “he saved my life he leapt out and saved my life, I could feel myself start to die…”.

“Well just as well Merlyn was there then” Asgrad said “and distracted the creature then”.

Xanian nodded “yes”.

“Also take care High Chancellor get the physician to check you over” Asgrad said “and Merlyn”.

He nodded and said ““thank you and carried the still unconscious Merlyn to the Inner council chambers.

The President was still there drinking a cup of tea, but the physician was nowhere in sight and looked up as Xanian joined him.

“Where your physician?” Xanian asked.

“Gone to see to any wounded “he replied “and the dead”.

“The creature is gone for now…” said Xanian “and this brave young man saved my life” he lay Merlyn on one of the seats “how are you feeling Lord President”.

“Better” he replied.

Xanian nodded “you need to be in hospital, you just had a near fatal heart attack, but this goes to prove what I have been saying all along, we have gotten too complacent! This young man nearly died because we have gotten too lax…and I can’t let that lie. We need to consider making changes!!!” 

The President said, “I have long supported you Xanian but I am not sure whether the rest of the Inner Council do”.

Xanian said “well make them listen!!! You’re the President!”

Merlyn moaned and coughed and opened his eyes, Xanian went to him and said, “how you feel?”

“Thirsty” said Merlyn, making them both smile.

Xanian got him some water and slumped down himself, “forgot how much healing yourself with your own energy can drain you” he said “you saved my life Quinawah” he said.

“Asgrad mentioned we can do that” said Merlyn.

Yes, we can, it's just not advisable” he said, “and not everyone knows how to do it”.

“How come you do?”

Xanian said “I just do, it uses up some of your regenerative energy though so it’s not advisable, but it is something they should teach at the Academy”.

Merlyn smiled at that comment and said, “are you alright?”

“I’m tired and probably need to get checked over but I am all right, alive at least! Thanks to you”.

Merlyn smiled wanly and took a sip of water, “I’m a Jedaini it is what I do”.

“Although you do realise that carrying weapons at all if you are not a member of the Chancellery Guard is forbidden?” Xanian asked.

Merlyn said, “I know I just grabbed it out of habit, I’m Jedaini and our swords are part of who we are”.

Xanian laughed wanly “probably just as well you did though so I think we can let it pass, but what is that blade?”

Merlyn said, “it’s an energy blade, we call them lightswords , it doesn’t actually register as a weapon until you ignite it”.

“Can I see it?” Xanian asked.

Merlyn looked thoughtful “well it is forbidden…”

Xanian said “I am giving you permission”.

Merlyn said “ok” and pulled it out and showed Xanian “I have the safety on so you can’t accidentally ignite it”.

Xanian nodded and said, “I see”.

Merlyn ignited it and “it’s the mark of the order”.

The President said, “High Chancellor…”.

Xanian said “a noble weapon indeed… slightly Psionic I am detecting”.

Merlyn nodded and said “yes”.

“What is that?” The President asked.

“My Lightsword” said Merlyn “yes I know it is forbidden to carry a weapon if you are not a member of the Guard but it is part of who I am!” and discharged it “ we called Jedaini, we are sort of I guess you could say an Order of a slightly monastical Knights, it is our duty to guard the universe, defend the weak and keep the peace we aren’t soldiers but we are without a doubt one of the best fighters in the galaxy when we need to be, kind of like the Sisterhood of Karn I guess in many ways as a comparison when it comes to our Psionic training”.

“Mmm yeah…the Sisterhood” said Xanian “no I wouldn’t say that, but your Psionic training seems to be more advanced than anything offered on Gallifrey, some of us get somewhat more Psionic training, than is the norm…I’m one of those who did, but what I saw you do just then with that creature is definitely something none of us can do…well at least not usually, and how do you know about the Sisterhood anyway?”

“Um…” Merlyn said “I know that they are allies to Gallifrey, and that Gallifrey rely on them sometimes, and their about as mysterious and as old as we are! And that they have incredible Psionic abilities.”

“Correct” said the President then “How do you know so much though?”

Xanian said “does it matter?”

The President looked shrewdly at Merlyn then asked “just who are you Quinawah Firesong? What are you?”

Xanian said “someone who just saved both our lives Lord President, does it really matter who or what he is?” an odd feeling of protectiveness arose in Xanian, there was something about the young alien that spoke to him and wanted to make him protect him.

“Who were your parents?” the President asked.

“I’m an Orphan Lord President I do not know who they were only that one of them was Gallifreyan” Merlyn replied, “it seems that I was a survivor of an accident with time, and that they were wiped from my memory, maybe it is still possible that they are still out there, and I just can’t remember them”.

“It is also possible that you are from another time and another place” said Lord Xanian “which is the theory your Guardians seem to favour regarding you”.

“I am a conundrum I should not be here” said Merlyn “this is not where I am meant to be, that creature proves it! I bought it with me, and as a Jedaini and a Gallifreyan I have to set it right!!!”

“What do you mean you ‘brought it with you’?” the President asked.

Merlyn looked thoughtful unsure on how much he should reveal, thought about it and then said “I ended up here by accident, the creature it is also from another time and place, the same place I came from. So, I bought it with me, it is only here because I am! It should not be here either! It must have followed me through the Time Vortex”.

The President said, “Can we defeat it?”

Merlyn nodded “now that I know what it is, yes. I know how to capture it now!”

“What is it?” The President asked as Asgrad and the other Physician joined them.

Merlyn looked at them both and Asgrad shook his head, “three more dead, the Guard who was wounded died as well, it seems you High Chancellor and you Lord President were the only two who survived” he ran a hand through his thinning hair “ this has been a bad night for us all, and you Lord President should be in proper care, High Chancellor you probably need a check over but you seem to be alright”.

Lord Xanian said “and that was only thanks to your Ward and your quick response Dr Asgrad”.

Dr Asgrad nodded “I shall leave you both in the capable hands of your official Physician, I have taken to many liberties with you both tonight already, I am just a General Practitioner, and I am not on the High Council”.

“You should be” said Lord Xanian.

“But I am not, and have never aspired to be so, for if I were, I would not be able to do what I am doing. No, I chose to live amongst the Plebeian classes and use my skills to the best of my ability, running my surgery because that is where I am needed” said Dr Asgrad.

Lord Xanian nodded “a most noble choice, but before you go tell us all what that creature was again Quinawah and then we will call it a night”.

Quinawah looked a little uncomfortable been put on the spot like that but said " we call them Void Slithers or Void Leeches, because that is what they are, they feed on lifeforce and Artron or similar energy and live in the Void, that’s only a little one, some of them are as big as a large asteroid! They are creatures full of malevolence and shadow, it should not be here”.

“But you know how to destroy them?” The President asked he moved and groaned.

“As I have already stated Lord President you need to be in proper care and have a proper rest” said Asgrad.

The President smiled wanly “seems you get to run things for a few days then High Chancellor” he said.

“I shall do my best” said Xanian “and one of the first things I am doing is stopping this! So, you know how to destroy it, Quinawah”.

“Yes” said Quinawah “I need to look up a few things but yes”.

Xanian nodded “then my first order as Acting President is this! Find this creature and destroy it! and if you need any extra resources, I fully authorise them! Just keep me informed”.

“Yes, Lord Chancellor” said Asgrad.

“Yes, Lord Chancellor” added Merlyn.

“Very well” said Xanian “and now I will submit to a check over and you Lord President should follow the advice of your Physician and Dr Asgrad!!!” he nodded to one of the Guards “escort Dr Asgrad and his ward home safely”.

“At once Lord Xanian” said the Guard.

“Keep me informed” said Xanian to both Merlyn and Asgrad, “here is how you can contact me” and gave them something to do so and then they were both lead from the Panopticon.


	21. The Academy- a Few Days Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlyn does his presentation to his class and makes a new friend.
> 
> This is a bit of an 'Off topic, Interlude Chapter' but fun.

Merlyn sat in one of his science classes at the academy a few days later as one of his fellow students made her presentation on their Science Project of inventing a theoretical universe, as the project they had been doing for weeks now was now due.  
  
He had found it an interesting challenge and had based the whole thing around his own universe, and he had, had to scramble to catch up with the rest of the students who had all been way ahead of him, but he had managed to get it finished and now they were required to present it to the class.  
  
He sighed, her presentation was flawless and perfect and very scientific and proper very ‘ _Time Lord_ ’ like a lot of their presentations had been, compared to them his seemed rather fanciful and he wasn’t sure how the other students were going to react to it, him the orphaned child of a renegade who hadn’t had a ‘ _proper Galifreyan education_ ’ .  
  
It was also rather dry, and a little boring to Merlyn’s personal views, but then he was half Dorenganza who were known as the masters of putting on a show at the drop of a hat!  
  
The girl who had been presenting it, Lani her name was finished up her presentation and took some questions from the other students about the pros and cons of her theoretical universe, Merlyn was afraid to ask any in case he sounded inane compared to the other students, it was times like this that the fact that he had hadn’t been born on Galifrey made itself more known.  
  
He was thankful for the fact that he was Jedaini though and they had almost as good a education as a Time Lord!  
  
“Wouldn’t your universe cause a bit of a problem with travelling the Time Vortex though? “ asked one of the other students.  
  
“Well I suppose it could..” Lani said, “but the exercise was to create a _theoretical_ universe!”.  
  
“It didn’t state that it had to be Galifreyan friendly” Merlyn added then then looked embarrassed.  
  
“Good point, It _didn’t_ ” agreed one of the others.  
  
“No it didn’t” Donas agreed.  
  
“Well I thought that was a given part of the exercise” the same student said.  
  
Cardinal Sansousa said then “Lani is correct in her thinking, it wasn’t stated that it had to be to Galifreyan standards! Just **_Theoretical_** ”.  
  
‘See!” she said .  
  
“If you have made yours to Galifrey's standards that is a bonus on your behalf but it wasn’t what the exercise was all about! It was to test your skills at making a _**Theoretical**_ universe! Creating something using your knowledge” Cardinal Sansousa said “if noone has any more questions for Lani I would like to see if we can get another presentation done”.  
  
“None” said several of them.  
  
Cardinal Sansousa nodded “very well thought out and presented Lani! You obviously thought about it and applied your knowledge accordingly. Worthy of one of your Chapter” as she was Patrex.  
  
“Thank you Cardinal Sansousa” she said putting her assignment on the Cardinal’s desk.  
  
He nodded and went through them and then said “ Quinawah would you like to make your presentation? I have to say I am most _interested_ in hearing yours, and am most impressed that you managed to finish it on time…given your background”.  
  
“This should be good” said one of the Prydonian students, making Trianus glare at him, the other students weren’t nasty to Quinawah or anything , but Quinawah was by some of them treated as an Outsider.  
  
Trianus liked Quinawah and he had certainly proven to them many times that he was as good as any of them, even if he hadn’t been born on Gallifrey!  
  
Donas said “ go on Quinawah”.  
  
Merlyn looked a little uncomfortable he had _hoped_ he wouldn’t be one of the first picked.  
  
Cardinal Sansousa looked at him “ if you don’t want to, I can get someone else to do theirs".  
  
“No I’ll do it” said Quinawah, standing up and straightening his robes “ I just didn’t expect to be one of the first picked to do so”.  
  
Cardinal Sansousa nodded “ go on”.  
  
Quinawah went out the front of the class, _remember you’re a Dorenganza_ his inner voice said ( it sounded like Tilanthalas) _we’re known throughout the universe as been able to put on a show at the drop of a hat!  
_  
Merlyn said “ could I have the lights dimmed please? I made a mostly visual presentation as part of my assignment, and did some stasis cube art… I didn’t really have the time to do it as much as the rest of you so mines a little more visual than everyone’s else’s have been.”  
  
“Very well Quinawah” said Cardinal Sansousa, getting the lights to dim.  
  
Quinawah nodded and then taking a deep breath he called on the Dorenganza ability to put on a show and started.  
  
“Welcome fellow Travellers I am going to take you all on a journey through my theoretical universe, let yourself _imagine_! Put all theories you know aside for a moment and just _believe_!” he pull out a device and suddenly the whole roof of the room was covered in stars “ imagine this…a universe that surrounds an area known as the Void, which is the centre of the universe and all around it planets and star systems have formed.”   
  
The image changed and an ball of darkness appeared surrounded by planets and star systems, “ and guarding the void there are worlds that aren’t planets but are known as planes! Worlds in themselves, worlds within worlds! These Planes are what guards the Void, to stop anyone falling into it and getting forever lost in it. Because the void itself is a world all of its own. Creatures older than _**Time**_ itself live in this void”.  
  
“You mean like Chronovores? Or Eternals?” one student asked.  
  
“Yes similar!” said Merlyn getting caught up in his presentation “creatures older than time…creatures who were formed when the void itself was formed!”  
  
“That is possible…” said Cardinal Sansousa “ we Time Lords have come across such creatures ourselves, the histories if you choose to go into them speak of it, do go on Quinawah”.  
  
Quinawah nodded “ and this is where the universe itself was formed, where all the worlds came from, star systems, planets, and the Planes themselves!”  
  
“So how does Time Travel work in this universe?” the student who had been questioning Lani asked.  
  
“I’m getting to that, “ said Merlyn, “to get around this theoretical universe there are several different ways, “ he made another image appear “normal space works almost the same as it does in this universe, but, they use things like stargates and wormholes to get into the deeper parts, and things like warp drives and that work the same as they do here. Another way is via the Void, you can get from one side of the universe to the other quickly if you use the void but it can be risky as there are, as I said things in there you don’t really want to meet but it can be used as a shortcut, but you would need a ship that was equipped with the ability to do so. Another way is by the Planes, you can travel from plane to plane, and finally , Time Travel and the Vortex well they work the same _mostly_ , but you just have to hope that your Tardis or whatever your using doesn’t hit a time eddy or something and slip into the void…although a Tardis would probably survive such a mishap…” he paused and then continued “I fell through the temporal vortex it is how I ended up here, I was lucky I had protection.”  
  
“Vortex manipulator” Cardinal Sansousa asked.  
  
“Yes” said Merlyn.  
  
“Cheap and nasty way to time travel but effective” he said “ so your saying in your _theoretical_ universe that the Vortex works similar?”  
  
“yes” said Merlyn “ although there is the risk of slipping into the Void like taking a wrong turn or something, because there is no Gallifrey there, so yes Time Travel is possible but it hasn’t been as monitored, this is _Theoretical_ of course but I took that into account. I asked the question _what if there was no Time Lords to monitor Time Travel?_ ”  
  
Cardinal Sansousa nodded “ very well thought out.. so what are one of the major worlds in this theoretical system? That was also one of the questions asked , you had to give us an example of one or two planets in your Theoretical universe and what they were like. Something which a couple of you forgot” Merlyn had to smile at some of the contrite faces of his fellow students.  
  
“I _didn’t_!” said Lani.  
  
Merlyn grinned “ Saris 4! It’s really a moon, as Saris Prime is a gas giant” he changed his image to the planet he considered home, “Four moons and a Gas Giant, the Planet is unliveable so the people live on the four moons, although Saris 4 is the biggest and the most populous moon! It is where the Council of Allied worlds have their headquarters!”  
  
“Arh so you remembered that as well! How it was governed, very well done! Some of you forgot that as well…” he said, “ so tell us more about the Council of Allied Worlds?”  
  
Merlyn said “ the Alliance as it is more known is one of the three factions of the Government, the other two are The Dominion and the Independent Alliance who are as it says worlds which are not part of either the Dominion or the Council, but trade with both. But the Council of Allied worlds is the main faction, it is made up of thousands of worlds and races, and are largely responsible for running things, working for peace and justice. It has survived for thousands of years!”.  
  
“So who monitors Time Travel” he was asked.  
  
“ _Andeas_ ” said Cardinal Sansousa “the exercise was **_theoretical_** ,”.  
  
Merlyn said “ well noone specific, there is no Gallifrey, but several worlds and independent factions do, The Universal Guardians, The Jedaini, who are the Peacekeepers of this universe but are independent although they will work with the Alliance if needed. And some of the Elder races, like the Crasolians , the Sardran , the Corran and the Dorenganza, there is no actual world like Gallifrey but there are people who keep an eye on things like that, mainly highly advanced races who are capable of Time Travel themselves”.  
  
Cardinal Sansousa nodded “ makes sense, I’m _impressed_ you have really put a lot of thought into this! So tell us more about Saris 4?”  
  
Merlyn nodded and changed his image to an image of Saris 4 he had made on his computer “ Saris 4 is the largest moon of Saris Prime, it is also the most populous it is where most of the people live, as you can see it is a big city, but it doesn’t take up all the planet, but it is a major world, all types of races live there, it is a sort of a drop off point for a lot of travel through the universe! Like a central hub almost”.  
  
Merlyn went on and after a while he finished his presentation and turned off his images and took a few questions from the class.  
  
“So it is Time Travel friendly?” Lani asked.  
  
“Yes. A Tardis could easily travel around in it, with an alternate power source attached which I know is possible” said Merlyn “Time Travel works the same”.  
  
“And the Void?” another asked.  
  
“yes although that would be risky even for a Tardis, you would have to know where you’re going…to even get into this universe you would have to cross the Void, but once there you could travel back and forth in time just as easily as you can do here, but as Cardinal Sansousa said the exercise was _Theoretical_ “ Merlyn said .  
  
“And you have covered every point that was stated in the exercise, and with good detail even if it was a little fanciful, but then the exercise was aimed to see if you could create a _plausible_ universe applying the skills you have” said Cardinal Sansousa “ and I must say you have done that very well Quinawah, you almost had us believing that it exists! Your presentation shows extraordinary knowledge and a good dose of imagination! Excellently done! Thank you so much for such an enjoyable presentation, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation. And if there are no more questions, for Quinawah, Andeas how about you present yours”.  
  
Merlyn nodded and put his presentation down and went and joined Donas and Trianus again as Andeas got up to present his.  
  
Donas said “mines nowhere near as good as yours is Quinawah! And you weren’t even born here!”  
  
Merlyn said, “probably a little too fanciful though, but I did the best I could”.  
  
Trianus said “that was where you were from isn’t it? that was what you were using as a base for it”.  
  
“Er” said Merlyn.  
  
Donas chuckled “ I kind of got that impression as well, but none the less your impressed Cardinal Sansousa! You know how _**hard**_ that is!”  
  
Merlyn said, “don’t tell anyone”.  
  
Trianus laughed “ you know Quinawah, you’re probably one of the most amazing people I have ever met! Maybe it is because you one of us but you weren’t born here… you see things through different eyes, and are from a different universe, I would love to see that one day. But I suspect that’ll I just end up on the Council like my father”.  
  
Donas said “ and me working in some lab or something”.  
  
Merlyn said “maybe it is because I wasn’t born here. But it seems rather a lonely life. Probably why my parents left”.  
  
Donas said “ I’m hoping to get posted to an outpost or something on a scientific exploration team or something, that _does_ happen”.  
  
Trianus nodded “ that is something we all would like”.  
  
Donas said “ I almost envy you Quinawah! Your seen things most of us will never get to see!”  
  
Quinawah said “ I’m stranded here though”.  
  
Trianus said “you will never get to be like most of us, besides your Lord Ruden’s ward he gets to go off planet sometimes!”  
  
Donas said “ yes you are and I think some of our fellow students wish they were you. I do!”  
  
Quinawah looked thoughtful and sat back to listen to Andeas’s presentation, it was also a little boring he admitted and looked at Trianus “you seem to know Andeas”.  
  
Trianus nodded “ we were tested and started the same day, and as you can see we’re both in the same Chapter… there’s always been I guess you could say something of rivalry between us, both our parents are on the High Council, he’s a bit arrogant though, and I don’t like how he looks down on you, that’s all, your proven yourself more than once that you belong here!”  
  
Donas nodded “yes you have, I’m glad you’re in my Chapter Quinawah”.  
  
Oddly enough Lani then joined them, she was Patrex and was in their purple robes and she sat down next to Merlyn and said “thanks for speaking up for me!”  
  
Merlyn said “well it was true the exercise didn’t state that it had to be Time Travel friendly!”  
  
Lani laughed “ I’m surprised your Arcalian! Given **_that_** presentation!”  
  
Merlyn said, “ I kind of let my imagination fill in the details seeing I didn’t have the same time to do it as the rest of you did”.  
  
Lani said, “ you’re the one who wasn’t born here aren’t you?”  
  
Merlyn said “how does everyone **know** that about me! I wasn’t really supposed to let anyone know that. Yet somehow everyone now knows!”  
  
“You’re a stranger, noone knows who you were and you suddenly were in our group , word travels fast” she said, “someone probably looked you up in the Matrix”.  
  
“Guess that makes sense then..” Merlyn said, “the Matrix, I forget that it is so much more than just a computer”.  
  
“You really weren’t born here were you” she asked.  
  
“No” said Merlyn.  
  
She continued “I’m Lani” and offered out a hand.  
  
“Quinawah, but my friends call me Merlyn” he replied, “I don’t have a proper Gallifreyan name”.  
  
“I like Quinawah” she said “ but why Merlyn?”  
  
“Merlin the Magician, Earth mythology” Donas supplied.  
  
“Sol 3” said Trianus.  
  
“Sol 3?” she asked “is that where you grew up?”  
  
“Yes” he said but wouldn’t divulge anymore.  
  
Trianus said “ we can’t really get anymore then what you did out of him about where he lived, Lani, he either can’t remember or he’s been ordered not to, it could even be both”.  
  
“Were you the victim of a Time accident?” Lani asked.  
  
Merlyn looked at her seeing only curiosity, she noticed his eyes, dark blue but they shone like a star, there were silvery flecks in them that looked like stars against the blue background, she’d never seen eyes like that!  
  
“Yes I was” he replied.  
  
“What happened?” she asked.  
  
“That’s the point,” Merlyn replied “I don’t remember! Part of my memory got partially wiped as well”, he often wondered if that was what had happened, he couldn’t remember his parents at all, or their sister until she had turned up with Tina’s husband Salmarian, they had both been stuck inside the Temporal engine on the Intrepid in a portion of the Planes, which it had scooped up for three years!   
  
Lani said “oh, sorry, I didn’t mean”.  
  
Merlyn said, “it’s ok, but yes it seems that I was and it is why I can’t remember”.  
  
Lani said “that was one different presentation though! You had me believing you! But then I’m Patrex and everyone expects us to be like that”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “the third most dominant chapter, the philosophers and the artists…..known for their distant expressions. And although you don’t get many Time Lords your advice is always welcomed”.  
  
She laughed “ you have been doing your homework!”.  
  
Meryn shrugged “I ended up here with little knowledge of the people whom I belonged to, I don’t know whether it was wiped or my parents just never told me much about it. I can’t say so I did a bit of digging and read what I could”.  
  
Lani said “we need more people like you. Not born here but see the world through different eyes”.  
  
Merlyn said “It makes me stand out though. Gallifrey has existed for thousands of years, established and peaceful, someone like me could really upset the balance of things” he sighed remembering what he knew and what he couldn’t say.  
  
Lani said, “but you’re here?”  
  
“Only because I fell through the Vortex and ended up here” he said.  
  
“How did you fall through the Vortex?” she asked.  
  
“Time accident involving an alien Temporal engine that was malfunctioning” he replied “I had protection but I was mostly unconscious, I err, shut down”.  
  
“How did you get exposed to a Temporal engine if you were living on _Sol three_?” Lani asked.  
  
Merlyn shrugged “As I said some of my memory was partially wiped, I can’t remember exactly how… an experiment that went horribly wrong perhaps?”  
  
“Your lucky you survived” said Lani and then she added “ so any of you want to go join me somewhere after we finish today for a quick drink ?”  
  
_**That**_ took Merlyn by some surprise and he had to remind himself that these people were just students at the moment! And not yet Time Lords, and in many ways they weren’t so different to anyone else!   
  
That they too had friends, that they too socialised! Right now they were all just Academy students!  
  
“Sounds good to me” Donas said with a smile “that will be what I need after my next lecture!”  
  
Trianus looked thoughtful and then nodded “I can for a couple of hours, my father he expects me to help him around his office after school most days…says it is good training for me, and will prepare me for my future…he’s right, but I could probably be spared a couple of hours, know some place we can go?”  
  
Quinawah said “I was about to ask the same thing, I too could be spared a couple of hours, I’m Lord Ruden’s Ward so he expects me to come work with him most days, so at the risk of sounding inane where do students go to well… _hang out_?”  
  
“ _Hang out_?” Lani asked.  
  
“Err forgive my Earth expressions…um _socialise_ ” said Merlyn “relax, you know?”  
  
Lani grinned “ I know just the place…meet me in the Quadrangle after we finish”.  
  
“Deal” said Donas as Cardinal Sansousa thanked Andeas for his presentation and said that they were finished for the day.


	22. Somewhere outside the Academy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lani takes her three new friends to a bar that would be classed as workers Bar, for drinks. They discuss their future and Merlyn shows Donas a sunset.  
> I am not sure if there would be such a bar. But hay off-duty Chancellery Guards and students trying to get a break from studies need to go somewhere out of the sight of their superiors and relax!

Lani led them to a place she knew that was outside the Academy where she said she knew a lot of the off-duty Chancellery Guard frequented and their fellow students also did.  
  
It was set in a building on a corner and wouldn’t be visible unless you knew it was there.  
  
“You won’t find any of the Council here” she said “they probably don’t even know it is here! So, it’s a good place to relax away from the watchful eye of the Cardinals and the Council”.  
  
“They won’t mind academy students?” Trianus asked running to catch up with Lani.  
  
“No” she said, “as I said some of them even frequent here themselves!”.  
  
Trianus said “alright”.  
  
“Sounds good to me” said Donas with a laugh.  
  
Merlyn said, “I don’t know what to say…you all sound like well…students!”  
  
Lani said, “what were you told about Gallifrey!”  
  
Merlyn shrugged “memory partially wiped remember?” he said.  
  
Lani said, “ _Hmm_ I think your hiding something!”  
  
“Of course, he is” said Trianus “although oddly enough he knew enough to be put in with us! Time Lords lie remember?”   
  
Merlyn looked contrite and said nothing and followed the three of them.  
  
The bar looked like the sort of thing you would find on Saris 4 in a back street or something, it was a little gritty looking but seemed rather popular, there were indeed members of the Chancellery Guard there, some workers, and several students from the Academy.  
  
It was what would be called a ‘ _Townie Bar’_ Merlyn decided.  
  
“It’s a Workers Bar!” said Merlyn then.  
  
“pardon?” Trianus asked.  
  
“Sorry, Earth expression, on Earth you often get what is known as ‘ _College Towns’_ which usually have a huge college or something as a main part of their town, a _Workers Bar_ is where the locals go and drink, who aren’t part of the Academic community, this is such a Bar because it seems that most of the people here are workers. Or off duty guards, _**we’re**_ the Academics trying to pretend we’re locals! Its where we go when we want to get away from the Academy! I didn’t think there were many of these on Gallifrey! Excellent choice Lani!” Merlyn said.  
  
Lani grinned “you have the oddest expressions Quinawah”.  
  
Quinawah looked down at his robes “are you sure we should have come _dressed_ like this though?”  
  
“Their used to Academy students” said Lani leading them in, waving at the Bartender.  
  
“You _know_ the Bartender?” Trianus asked looking around a little nervously, he clearly generally didn’t frequent places like this.  
  
Lani shrugged “I’m a regular, I often come here to study because it is easier to do so”.  
  
Trianus said “you do?”  
  
Lani said, “the study hall at the Academy is so well… ** _proper_**!”.  
  
Merlyn chuckled “your definitely Patrex then!” he said, “ _Bohemian_ is what they would call you on Earth”.  
  
Lani said, “I’m _surprised_ you’re not…given _that_ presentation!” she led them to a booth at the back and they all sat down, Trianus looked positively nervous!  
  
Merlyn said “I’m a tinkerer, and I like Science, and I scored relatively well in the testing I was given in the Sciences, no I am definitely Arcalian…” he looked at the menu trying to decide what he wanted.  
  
Lani said, “I can order for you if you don’t recognise anything”.  
  
Merlyn said, “maybe I’ll let you do that”.  
  
She nodded and did so and then came back and said “done. So Quinawah tell me more about yourself”.  
  
Quinawah looked at her his amazing eyes catching the light, Lani had to admit she found him pleasing to the eye.  
  
“What do you want to know?” he asked.  
  
“Who are you _really_? How does a person _**not**_ born on Gallifrey _know_ so much and manage to score so high that they get put in with us? We’re second tier students…how did you manage to make it?” she asked.  
  
“Second Tier?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“You didn’t know?” Trianus asked.  
  
“No, although I admit Lord Ruden was surprised that I managed to score so high and get put in with you” Merlyn said.  
  
Trianus said “guess we should explain this then. They grade us on our knowledge and course work, we’re second Tier because we didn’t score as high as first Tier, we’re second, not on the bottom but not on the top either”.  
  
“So, we’re second highest?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“yes” he replied.  
  
Merlyn nodded “makes sense. Lord Ruden expected me to grade lower due to my background”.  
  
Trianus said “you did really well for someone not born on Gallifrey with little or no knowledge to end up with us! But it is probably fortunate that you did because had your scored higher and gotten into the first tier you wouldn’t have the leniencies you been given”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I have been given a few haven’t I?”  
  
“More than a few” said Trianus “but you clearly knew enough to score as high as you did”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I knew enough, I also understand the duties and responsibilities you all have instilled in you from an early age, because I share a similar thing due to the Order and I have almost as good an education as a Gallifreyan due to that as well”.  
  
“Order?” Lani said, “what order?”  
  
“I’m a Senior Jedaini Apprentice” said Merlyn “we also have a similar code to the Time Lords of Gallifrey and our duties and responsibilities are also instilled into us at an early age…” he trailed off and took his drink and sniffed it.  
  
Lani said “but that…” then it hit her “oh my… you mean! Your presentation! You mean it’s all _**true**_!”  
  
Merlyn said “guilty as charged… I didn’t have the time to compile mine like you all did so I simply wrote about…”.  
  
“ _Home_ , you wrote about _home_ ” she said.  
  
“ _Home_ ” said Merlyn “I wrote what I knew and made a presentation about my home universe. I come from a Parallel universe it seems. I knew it would seem fanciful enough to Gallifrey that I knew I could get away with it”.  
  
“You mean you were telling the truth about the Void and that?” she asked.  
  
Merlyn nodded and took a sip of his drink and then said” I may have _embellished_ it some…but yes the base was true, don’t tell anyone please?”  
  
Lani said, “that was some presentation!”  
  
Merlyn chuckled “I had to make it interesting somehow!” he sighed “I miss home”.  
  
“But _this_ is your home!” said Lani.  
  
Merlyn said, “it doesn’t really feel like it yet, but it does seem that I am stranded here”.  
  
Lani said, “I guess it wouldn’t yet”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I’m too new” he sighed “I know to become a Time Lord is sort of like the goal…but it still seems to me something of a lonely life once you achieve it”.  
  
Lani said “I’m Patrex, so I probably aren’t put under as enough pressure as say someone like Trianus is!”  
  
“So, what is your ultimate goal?” Merlyn asked.  
  
She shrugged “I wouldn’t mind becoming a curator or something for a gallery or something, what’s yours?”  
  
Merlyn said “you know I haven’t thought about it, Temporal Engineer perhaps? I have a knack for it”.  
  
Donas said “I want to become part of a survey team or something”.  
  
Trianus said “receive my investiture and find a position that I can settle down into. I suspect I’ll end up pursuing politics or something”.  
  
“Your _ **Prydonian**_ most of you do” said Donas “no I’ll just happily take being part of a survey team or something, I’m not that ambitious” he took a sip of his drink “nice!”  
  
Merlyn sat thoughtfully, what would become of his three new friends and Dr Asgrad, Lord Ruden and even High Chancellor Xanian? How _long_ was it before the Time Wars?  
  
He knew he was seeing Gallifrey not at its Prime but not at its destruction either, what had happened to a race who loved peace and had no love for destruction become one of the most feared races in the universe? And one of the most hated, it broke his hearts!   
  
He hoped that somehow, he would find a way home, he didn’t belong here, and he didn’t really want to get involved in the Time Wars when they arrived, he was a Jedaini and they were Peacekeepers, he was _Out of Time_ and knew it.  
  
“ _What happened to you all_ ” he said softly “ _what made you change so much_?”  
  
“Pardon Quinawah?” one of them asked.  
  
“Nothing” said Merlyn, he looked thoughtful, would it hurt to hint at what he knew? so, he simply said, “promise me this, if you ever get a chance to leave Gallifrey and to make that chance permanent, do so and _**don’t**_ come back”.  
  
Lani looked at him in amazement “whatever do you mean Merlyn?” she asked.  
  
“Just do so if you can” said Merlyn “you will be thankful for it”.  
  
“But why?” she asked.  
  
Quinawah realised that he had all their attentions now and said, “just trust me on this one, if you can leave Gallifrey permanently **_do_ **so”.  
  
Lani asked “ Quinawah are you from the future?”, Quinawah didn’t answer.  
  
“You are, aren’t you?” Trianus asked “how _far_? What do you know?”  
  
“I am, I think” said Quinawah “I just don’t know how far”.  
  
“What do you know? What have you seen?” Donas asked.  
  
“I’ll just say this, something is coming for Gallifrey in the future, I don’t know how, I don’ t know when, only that it is” he said.  
  
“But _time_ it can be _rewritten_ , we all know that _**we’re** _the ones who can rewrite it!” said Trianus “although the laws of time state that we really shouldn’t…just because we can”.  
  
“They _also_ state that we **_shouldn’t_** interfere” said Quinawah proving to them all yet again _**why**_ he had put in with them! “thus, my words, we can’t stop what is coming but if I can make some of you think about what I said, then it is worth a try, so promise me you will at least _consider_ my words?”  
  
“Leave Gallifrey? But where would we go?” Trianus asked.  
  
“You **do** have all of time and space” Merlyn pointed out with a smile.

“True we do!” Donas said with a chuckle then.  
  
Merlyn said, “that is one of the wonderful things about been a Time Lord!”  
  
Donas said “but seriously, Merlyn what have you seen?”  
  
“I can’t really reveal it” said Merlyn “because I really don’t know what is true and what is false”.  
  
Donas said “so what you’re saying mightn’t happen?”  
  
Merlyn said, “it mightn’t happen the way I see it, but I still think that it _will_ happen, and we can’t stop it from doing so”.  
  
“Temporal nexus points?” Trianus asked.  
  
“Yes” Merlyn said.  
  
“ _Involving_ Gallifrey?”  
  
“Not just Gallifrey, but it is a big part of it, yes”.  
  
Trianus looked thoughtful “that is big”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “yes,” and left it there and changed the subject “I still think that been a Time Lord can be a lonely life…it seems to be”.  
  
Trianus laughed “I’ll most likely end up in politics, but why do you think a lot of people who don’t make the final test end up in the Chancellery Guard. It’s a good option, along with a few other things”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “my other Guardian, Dr Asgrad, he chose to live amongst the working class and make his life as a Doctor running his surgery. He likes that. Lord Ruden is his best friend”.  
  
Donas said “as I said I would quite happily settle been part of a survey team or something. That would be ideal, I’m not ambitious. I see myself as a scientist and that is what I want to do!”  
  
Merlyn nodded “I can understand that”.  
  
“I know you can, your Arcalian like me!” he said.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I’m a Tinkerer it’s how I got my nickname”.  
  
Donas nodded “I know your brilliant at building stuff!”  
  
Merlyn shrugged “machines they _talk_ to me”.  
  
Trianus looked at his timepiece a little while later “sorry I have to cut this short, I’m due at my father's office soon so I’ll have to leave” he stood up “I’ll see you all tomorrow”.  
  
They all waved to him as he stood up and walked out of the bar standing out in his Prydonian colours, “yep he’ll end up as part of the Council” Donas predicted “I can see him in a few years’ time on the Council and standing with them whilst their in session”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “that must be quite a sight when the Council’s in session”.  
  
Donas said “most of us aren’t allowed in the Panopticon when it’s not in session let alone when it is”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I noticed that” and they sat and chatted about other things for a while as they finished their drinks.  
  
“You really weren’t born, here were you?” Lani asked as they all stood up and paid for their drinks and started to head back towards the Academy a little while later.   
  
It was getting late now, but no one noticed three Academy students out though.  
  
“No, I wasn’t” said Merlyn “which is why I don’t know everything”.  
  
“You knew enough to be put in with us” said Donas waving goodbye to Lani and watching her walk away and sighed.  
  
Merlyn smiled and then laughed “who would have thought! You _like_ her don’t you!”  
  
Donas said “am I that transparent? Truth is though she likes you more!”  
  
“ _ **Me**_!!!”  
  
Donas laughed as they walked back towards the Academy Chapterhouse “she’s Patrex! And something of a romantic, you're like her romantic dreams come true! A Gallifreyan not born on Gallifrey! Who is, if you believe the rumours possibly the son of the Rogue Time Lord known as _The Doctor_!”  
  
“Seriously is that _**who**_ people _think_ I am?” Merlyn asked, that thought hadn’t occurred to him.  
  
Donas laughed “of course! Well, it is a popular rumour, think about it Quinawah, your Gallifreyan but not born on Gallifrey, have been to places the rest of us can only dream about, including Earth! It is well known that the Doctor travels with companions, you ended up here under mysterious circumstances, but have obviously had exposure to a Time Lord, and although your knowledge isn’t entirely accurate it was enough to place you in with us! It gives you an aura of mystery!”.  
  
“I’m not” said Merlyn “well not that I know of”.  
  
Donas said “but how do you know you’re not? You said yourself you ended up here through an accident with time. You can’t even remember that he is your Time Lord parent. It might even be a future incarnation of the Doctor, you said yourself you're sure you’re from the future. And even if you’re are not, let them _think_ that as it gives you an aura of mystery and intrigue, the son of the Doctor!”  
  
Merlyn said, “I didn’t realise that what do you think?”  
  
Donas said “I like to _think_ you are!”

Merlyn said, “and what if I am not?”  
  
“Does it matter?” Donas asked “you have this aura of mystery regardless of whether you are or not!”  
  
Merlyn sighed “so you are going to believe that regardless?”  
  
Donas nodded “yes because I think you are”.  
  
Merlyn said, “I should be flattered then”.  
  
Donas laughed as the two of them walk across the boulevard in the setting suns of Gallifrey although they were barely visible in the Citadel apart from some light that filtered through all around them were buildings and more buildings.  
  
“Have you ever even seen a sunset on Gallifrey?” Merlyn asked Donas.  
  
“A long time ago” Donas admitted.  
  
“it’s beautiful!” Merlyn said, “here I’ll show you!”  
  
“Pardon?” he asked.  
  
Merlyn said, “I can show you my memory of one if you allow me”.  
  
Donas said “so you do know how to do that?”  
  
Merlyn shrugged “yes, I just seemed to know how…”.  
  
Donas said “we can all do it with another Gallifreyan if we know how, I wasn’t sure if you did”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I do, also I do have Telepathic training”.  
  
Donas nodded “do you know how to initiate it?”  
  
“Yes” he said.  
  
He nodded and said, “I admit I haven’t been out from under the dome for years!”  
  
“That’s what Dr Asgrads sister said, that when the children get chosen, they don’t always see them again” he paused “ok let's try this”.  
  
They faced each other and Merlyn said a few seconds later “contact”.  
  
“Contact” Donas confirmed.  
  
“This feels a little strange” Merlyn admitted “ok share my memory, I saw this sunset when Dr Asgrad took me to see his sister outside the dome”.  
  
Donas nodded “I haven’t done it a lot either, that’s amazing! I see _stars_!”  
  
Merlyn nodded “err yeah I should have warned you about that”.  
  
Donas said “I see you, your _surrounded_ by **_light_**!” and he paused and then it hit him “you’re not fully Gallifreyan are you! Your Gallifreyan and _something_ else! A _Hybrid_!”.  
  
Merlyn said “told you I was possibly from the future…and a parallel universe, no I am not fully Gallifreyan, my other half is a race called the Dorenganza we’re planatars, Planesborn, Children of the Void, only **one** of my parents was a Time Lord! I’ve been told to keep that _err_ _quiet_ …for obvious reasons, I am a Hybrid, so um yes…here I will share my memory of the sunset with you”.  
  
Donas said “you know there are legends of beings such as you…The High Council fear it for some reason”.  
  
“It is said that a Hybrid will conquer Gallifrey I found the legend in the Matrix, but that is not what I am trying to show you”.  
  
He nodded as Merlyn shared his memory of the sunset with him and Donas had to admit he had forgotten what one looked like.  
  
“That is amazing!” said Donas.  
  
“Beautiful isn’t it?” Merlyn asked, “you miss all this by hiding under your dome”.  
  
Donas said “that is beautiful, it’s been a long time since I have seen a sunset”.  
  
Merlyn nodded” I can imagine, you Time Lords hiding under your domes”.


	23. Somewhere outside the Academy and Asgrads Dwelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter with Ruden, Asgrad and Merlyn, and briefly Lord Xanian.
> 
> Sorry about the delays in uploading lately...Family and holidays mostly.

He chuckled and said, “guess we have disinfected ourselves; can you show me a sunset on your world!!”  
  
“Saris 4?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“No Sol Three, Earth, your world?”.  
  
“The planet I call home **_is_** Saris 4, Lord Ruden told me to tell people I came from Earth but the planet I call home is Saris 4, I wasn’t making that up, it is an actual world…well it’s actually a moon, about the size of a planet…because Saris Prime is a huge Gas giant!”  
  
“So, you’re not from Earth?” Donas asked.  
  
“No, I’m not, think I may have been born there though or maybe it was Crasolia, I’m not sure to be honest, I’ve been to Earth though, recently.”  
  
“What is Earth like we all know about it of course but a lot of us have never been there” Donas said as they started to walk back together towards the Chapterhouse, Merlyn usually waited there for Ruden or Asgrad to come pick him up, he’d told Ruden he had gone out with some friends and Ruden had said that was fine seeing there was a Council Session he had to attend.  
  
Donas looked towards the Panopticon and said, “you ever been in there?”  
  
“Yes, I was with Lord Ruden and Dr Asgrad” said Merlyn “didn’t get to look around much though, it’s huge though, it must look pretty impressive if in full session”.  
  
Donas laughed “this is _Gallifrey_ Merlyn! Of **course** , it is bigger on the inside!”  
  
Merlyn laughed and smiled “true”.  
  
Donas continued “my fathers on the Council, has been for years, I’m not that ambitious though, I’ll happily settle been part of a survey team”.  
  
Merlyn nodded and waved as he caught sight of Lord Ruden and Dr Asgrad, and Donas nodded and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow in class”.  
  
“Yes” said Merlyn as his new friend went inside the Chapterhouse.

Lord Ruden indicating his friends back “was that Donas?” he asked.  
  
Merlyn nodded “yes, he’s in my class group…well rather I’m in his”.  
  
Lord Ruden nodded “I didn’t realise you meant him when you said one of your friends was called Donas”.

Merlyn said “oh?”

Lord Ruden continued “his father is one of the top-ranking Scientists in his field and is on the Council, I didn’t realise that you had befriended his son”.  
  
Merlyn said, “more like he and his friend Trianus befriended me!”  
  
Lord Ruden nodded “I ‘m impressed!”  
  
Merlyn said, “I think he felt sorry for me, been the new kid and not born on Gallifrey and seeing we’re in the same Chapter”.  
  
Lord Ruden said “I can imagine. Well done”.  
  
“Good to see that you are making friends” said a familiar voice that made them all turn around in shock and saw Acting President, (for the moment) Xanian approach them with a smile.  
  
“High Chancellor!” Merlyn said shocked he had to admit that he hadn’t expected to see him again! Especially seeing he was currently Acting President.  
  
Xanian said “I saw you all here, so I thought I come over, had to get rid of my Guards…” he grimaced.  
  
“Well, you are acting President at the moment, Lord Xanian” said Ruden dryly.  
  
“Not for much longer, The President feels like he is fit to return to duty” said Xanian.  
  
“I was wondering whether he had recovered” said Asgrad then “is he sure he is fit enough to return”.  
  
Xanian nodded “his physician advised him to go through a Regeneration… so he is feeling fit and well, he’s just recovering”.  
  
“Arh…odd that” said Asgrad “I didn’t think that was required once we had cleared him of the poison, but who am I to argue with the decision of his Physician? He was maybe afraid of complications or something…very well, what about you Lord Xanian?”  
  
Xanian said “I’m fine…thank you for your timely arrival that night and for keeping this discreet”.  
  
Dr Asgrad said, “I’m a Doctor, it was my duty and honour to serve and to be there when you needed me to be”.  
  
Xanian nodded “any progress on our other little problem?”  
  
Merlyn nodded “trap is ready to go…but there haven’t been any more incidents so I may have killed it after all…I’m trying to detect it”.  
  
Xanian nodded “keep me posted. There haven’t been any more other incidents since that night. “  
  
“yes, Lord Xanian and enjoy your time as President” said Merlyn with a chuckle.  
  
“About the closest I'm ever going to get to it; I am considered something of a radical by many of the Inner Circle. I think if it hadn’t been for Albren I would not have gotten elected!” he shrugged “yes that is his name _Erkhucupophrogialbren_ \- Albren.”  
  
Merlyn chuckled “I am glad I do not have a Gallifreyan name”.  
  
Xanian laughed “you should hear mine!”  
  
Merlyn said, “I can imagine”.  
  
Xanian said “be grateful that you don’t, I like Quinawah,” he nodded “ _Quinawah_ , I could get used to that, you know if I ever have a son, I would kind of like him to be like you and that is the name I would probably give him”.  
  
Dr Asgrad said “I can’t believe the Physician advised the President to have a regeneration…he didn’t really need it. Just a few days rest would have been sufficient but then who am I to argue with his Physician”.  
  
Xanian nodded “that was my thoughts too. But well, that was what was advised”.  
  
Asgrad nodded “well at least he is all right then. “as they walked away together.  
  
Lord Ruden said “don’t you have more pressing duties?”  
  
“Not at the moment, although I suspect my Guards will come looking for me soon” he replied.  
  
“ _Admit_ _it_ Lord Xanian you got into politics because you **_enjoy_ **it!” said Ruden then.  
  
“Sometimes I don’t “he admitted “but I just wanted to inform you that The President is all right and will be fully recovered soon, and I see my Guards… Keep me posted though Dr Asgrad, Lord Ruden, Quinawah and I shall take my leave of you” and turned and walked away.  
  
“Hope no one saw that” Lord Ruden remarked.  
  
“Nope” said Merlyn “I blended us into the shadows, so most people wouldn’t have noticed unless they looked right at us”.  
  
Both Lord Ruden and Dr Asgrad looked at him in amazement, the young alien just kept amazing them as they all got into Asgrad’s transport to go back to his home in the working district.

Merlyn had come to like Asgrad’s modest dwellings, in the weeks he had been on Gallifrey , it felt like home, and Asgrad’s cat had grown fond of him.  
  
Ruden had an apartment but he spent a lot of time at Asgrads home maybe he liked it there too better than his apartment.  
  
Ruden smiled as he walked through the door as he saw one of Merlyn’s simple stasis art models sitting on a shelf, it was of a simple starfield.  
  
“That’s beautiful!” said Ruden.  
  
Merlyn shrugged “it was my first attempt at it”.  
  
Asgrad said “I liked it, so we got it framed”.  
  
Ruden said “it looks good framed, I have to confess my apartment is rather bare, I barely spend enough time there to really decorate it other than the essentials”.  
  
“Is that why you spend so much time here?” Asgrad asked.  
  
Ruden said “probably, you are my best friend Asgrad I don’t have a lot I admit”.  
  
“You need to get married or something” said Asgrad.  
  
Ruden said “your never gotten married”.  
  
“I have my work and my family” said Asgrad “that keeps me busy enough” he went into his kitchen and started to see what he could cook for dinner “you should spend more time with Thomlan your nephew”.  
  
“I should” said Ruden sitting down and removing his collar “while I still can, he’s almost three”.  
  
Merlyn came out eating a plate of the frozen fruit treat which he really liked and took a seat at his desk and logged onto the Computer to start doing his homework.  
  
“I’ll swear he’ll eat me out of that” said Asgrad with a chuckle he looked at Ruden “admit it you enjoy having our young guest around as much as I do”.  
  
Ruden said “if only we didn’t have to get him home, I would formally adopt him as my ward and sponsor him fully”.  
  
Asgrad said “we both would. But he doesn’t really belong here, he has a family to return to. But it is going to be hard to say goodbye to him. But maybe we could I don’t know offer ourselves as mentors or something for kids in need”.  
  
Ruden looked thoughtful “maybe”.  
  
“Well admit it having Merlyn here with us has made us both change, he ended up under our care by accident and admit it, it’s both made us change a lot in how we think. I’ve always been a Medical Practitioner and I enjoy been so. But I don’t know, we could well foster children or something. Or offer an older student a place to live and study whilst they're at the Academy and something to do whilst their doing so”.  
  
Ruden looked thoughtful “you know that is not such a bad idea, I have a huge apartment and it’s just me, so I could offer an older student a place to live and some mentoring…I’ll look into it”.  
  
“You know from our own days spent at the Academy how lonely it can get at times” said Asgrad “because I admit…I have enjoyed having Merlyn here with me, even if he did blow up my lab! It’s been like having a teenage son! Something a lot of Time Lords never get to have.”  
  
“It’s why I left him here with you seeing you both get on so well” said Ruden.  
  
Asgrad nodded “he also has a lot of respect for you as well”.  
  
Ruden nodded “yes but your better at getting on with people…I admit I am a bit lacking in that department”.  
  
Asgrad said “you could learn”.  
  
Ruden’s dour face broke into a rare smile, one most people rarely saw “your always been better with people than me” he said, “people often wonder how you and I could even be friends seeing we are total opposites, I always tell them that your one of the few people who can make me smile”.  
  
Asgrad said “we go a long way back my friend, we were tested on the same day and entered the Academy the same day, two eight-year old's scared about what our new life would entail, both of us missing our families, you were sitting scared in a corner trying not look like you were scared, and I sat down beside you and told you a joke”.  
  
“A _bad_ one if I remember”.  
  
“It made you laugh though and got us talking” Asgrad said “we were fated to meet that day I feel, we both needed a friend and found one in each other. Total opposites that we are!”  
  
Ruden nodded “that we were, I will look into maybe offering my home to a student who needs one”.  
  
He went over to where Quinawah was looking at something on the Matrix and sat down beside him “do you need a hand?” he asked.  
  
Quinawah said “I been asked to do a project on ancient beings like Chronovores and the like and I don’t know where to start!”  
  
“History” said Ruden “here I’ll show you some shortcuts you can use, the Matrix can be a bit confusing to manoeuvre through”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “I can imagine, are there really ghosts and everything else there in the physical area of it?”  
  
Ruden nodded “it is probably a bit of a mess! You really don’t want to go in there! We should probably clean it out…”.  
  
Merlyn nodded “yeah”.  
  
“The Jedai Temple Library is a bit like that on Saris 4, it’s ancient!” Merlyn said, “you could get lost in it!”  
  
Ruden laughed “bet it isn’t as old as ours!”  
  
“I don’t rightly know to be honest…The Order has been around for thousands of years!!!”  
  
“I thought you said it was only about the 30th century in your universe” said Ruden.  
  
“No, that is how long their known about Earth, they use Earth time now for most of the universe for some reason, but it has been around much longer!” he replied.  
  
“Arh” he said.  
  
Merlyn said “it is much older! Although your probably right not as old as the one on Gallifrey”.  
  
Ruden nodded “here we go, Chronovores, Eternals and Vampires, and other older races…this should help, it was written some years ago but should be enough for your project”.  
  
Merlyn nodded and looked at the screen “hmm yes that should be sufficient, thanks Lord Ruden”.  
  
Ruden nodded maybe Asgrad was right, they should investigate offering their homes to a student or two to live in whilst they were studying at the Academy, ones around Merlyn’s age and in their last few years or so.  
  
“Lot of Time Lord knowledge goes into that databank…yet oddly enough they don’t use it so much anymore” Ruden said.  
  
“Is it true that every Timelord that has ever lived has their mind uploaded into it?” Merlyn asked.  
  
“Yes…well _technically_ ” he said.  
  
“No wonder it’s a mess!” said Merlyn with a chuckle.  
  
“You haven’t been hacking into it have you Quinawah?” Ruden asked “I’ve seen what you can do with a computer!”  
  
“No” said Merlyn “well not really”.  
  
Ruden sighed ““don't be tempted to, don’t dig to deep just get what you need for your classwork, work, and information. It has protections that could very well destroy you”.  
  
Merlyn said, “do you _think_ I have?”  
  
Ruden said “I don’t know what to think… but I’ve seen what you can do with a computer! I hope not”.

**Author's Note:**

> Just like to add feel free to comment! Love some feedback.


End file.
